Venice’s garbage rates will have to be increased, or else the city’s Public Works department will go bankrupt. That’s the message works director John Veneziano will deliver at the city council meeting Tuesday.

According to a recent audit, if rates stay the same, trash alone would bankrupt the department within the next couple years. He will propose a 5 percent increase this year, and then stagger declining increases of 4, 3, 2, and 1 percent over the following years.

The increases have already been added to the public works budget, one that is expected to gain council approval.