(1) A city that contracts for the collection of solid waste, or provides for the collection of solid waste directly, shall notify the public of each proposed rate increase for a solid waste handling service. The notice may be mailed to each affected ratepayer or published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the collection area. The notice shall be available to affected ratepayers at least forty-five days prior to the proposed effective date of the rate increase.

(2) For purposes of this section, "solid waste handling" has the same meaning as provided in RCW 70A.205.015.

Findings—Declaration—1994 c 161: "The legislature finds that local governments and private waste management companies have significantly changed solid waste management services in an effort to preserve landfill space and to avoid costly environmental cleanups of municipal landfills. The legislature recognizes that these new services have enabled the state to achieve one of the nation's highest recycling rates.

The legislature also finds that the need to pay for the cleanup of past disposal practices and to provide new recycling services has caused solid waste rates to increase substantially. The legislature further finds that private solid waste collection companies regulated by the utilities and transportation commission are required to provide public notice but that city-managed solid waste collection systems are not. The legislature declares it to be in the public interest for city-managed systems to provide public notice of solid waste rate increases." [ 1994 c 161 s 1.]