FasTracks budget off rails
RTD admits it can't deliver the plan it promised voters
By Kevin Flynn, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Friday, July 18, 2008
RTD conceded Friday that it cannot deliver the FasTracks program as promised to voters four years ago.
The program, originally budgeted at $4.7 billion when voters approved a sales tax to support it, rose to $6.1 billion last year and is poised for a substantial increase next month during budget talks with the elected board.
The agency is holding off on a recommended strategy, but the options include some politically difficult choices in tough economic times:
* Stretch the program beyond the original 2017 completion date to ease a cash flow slowdown.
* Reduce the length of some of the corridors to cut costs but maintain the schedule.
* Go to voters for an additional tax increase to get the original plan done on the same schedule.
The program has been clobbered from two sides, with huge increases in the cost of construction materials and fuel, and a slowdown in the economy that has cut into the revenue RTD expected from the sales tax that underpins the financing.
"We're dealing with that reality, and I am going to have to adapt the program to fiscal reality," said Cal Marsella, RTD general manager. "Our material costs are up and our revenues are down from projections. Reality is reality, and we're going to have to adapt to that."
Rights of way, privatization
Marsella said the transit agency is still crunching the new numbers for the annual FasTracks budget update and has no new bottom line, but it will be determined before a mid-August meeting with the 15-member board.
"How much, we can't really say because some big things are still outstanding," Marsella said.
Two major elements of the program will remain unresolved for up to two years, and they have the potential to help keep the program costs down or damage its financial footing even more.
One is negotiations with two major railroads, Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Union Pacific, over purchase or lease of portions of their rights of way for the four heavy-rail commuter lines in FasTracks.
Earlier this year, talks with Union Pacific failed to produce an agreement on a total package of property because the railroad's price, $700 million, was substantially more than RTD had set aside.
The two sides remain in talks for smaller portions of Union Pacific property.
The second unresolved element is the potential savings from RTD privatizing three or more of the new corridors.
RTD turned to so-called Public-Private Partnerships, PPP, last year as a strategy to close a $548 million deficit between what the original financing plan could handle and the new $6.1 billion budget.
If costs climb much higher, it is unknown if more savings could come from additional privatization.
Mayor critical of estimates
Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer is anxiously awaiting word on the fate of the I-225 light-rail corridor - an extension of the T-REX line from Parker Road to connect with the train to the airport at Fitzsimons on Peoria Street. Tauer said he keeps hearing that RTD's costs are rising faster than construction costs, indicating there's more to the problem than rising material prices. He cast doubt on RTD's original estimates.
"Our concerns are what are we going to get and when are we going to get it," Tauer said. "Our concern is not how they execute it. But when do we stop having these increases and have a final price?
"Some of our corridors are still three or four years away from starting and they've already had huge increases in costs before we've laid our first track. When do we stop this and get the final number?"
Marsella defended the original estimates.
"Why would we lowball it and not be able to deliver?"
No good options
Noel Busck, an RTD board member, was mayor of Thornton when FasTracks passed in 2004. He was part of the unanimous front of metro mayors who backed the measure, a 0.4-cent hike in the regional sales tax.
Now sitting on the other side of the table, he expects a hard series of talks with cities and counties over how to handle the future of the FasTracks program.
"To go back on our word and renegotiate things will be quite difficult," Busck said. "I am sure there will have to be some changes. We don't have an easy few years ahead of us, but we'll get it done. There's always a way."
Marsella won't rate the options for now but said all are difficult.
"Is lengthening the time an option? Yes, but no decision has been made," he said. "Would we consider going to voters for more money? Yes. Are we considering that right now? No. What about shortening the lines? Is that a possibility? Yeah, but is it one we want to pursue? No.
"I heard pretty loud and clear from the public that they wanted it done as quickly as possible."
FasTracks is one of the nation's largest public transit expansions, with seven new corridors and additions to three existing ones.
One of the new projects, the 12.1-mile West Corridor connecting Denver, Lakewood and Golden, is under early construction.
Inflation costs accelerate
Last month, its budget was bumped up 11.5 percent, to $707.6 million, a portent of what awaits the other projects in the program.
Those other corridors are in various stages of environmental studies and early design - a stage at which it's hard to nail down final costs.
The original FasTracks budget was assembled from thousands of pieces of data reflecting the scope of what RTD planned to build, with each piece assigned a price tag down to the last railroad tie, then inflated through the life of the project using a projection for the local Consumer Price Index and priced according to what year each piece was planned to be built.
But that quickly went awry because inflation in the construction industry didn't track the consumer price index. Even as voters marched to the polls to say yes in 2004, the Colorado Construction Cost Index was going up 9 percent that year. In 2005, it spiked an unprecedented 52 percent. It has continued to outpace inflation, hitting 6.1 percent last year.
The national Producer Price Index for construction material has gone up 30.7 percent since the end of 2003, while the Consumer Price Index has gone up 17.5 percent.
flynnk@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5247
FasTracks timeline * Fall 2003: RTD assembles cost projections for the entire program at $4.7 billion.
* April 2004: Denver Regional Council of Governments approves the program after having consultants review the projections.
* November 2004: Metro Denver voters approve a 0.4-cent hike in RTD's sales tax to support the financing of FasTracks.
* May 2007: RTD's first overall re-evaluation of costs and financing boosts price tag to $6.1 billion, with a $548 million deficit in the financing plan that is to be plugged by turning to privatization on some corridors.
* September 2007: RTD hires consultant team to lead privatization effort, predicting the gap can be met.
* June 2008: RTD boosts West Corridor light rail project 11.5 percent, to $707.1 million, foreshadowing an overall increase in the program cost to come in August.
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July 19, 2008
1:59 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
How much of the taxpayers dough have you already blown Mr. Marsella? Hey, I thought you were going to use emminent domain to rip of the private land owners below appraised market value, and sell thier land off to bigtime developers later on, at several times what you payed for it. You were looking at big money, what was your take Cal? Gee Cal, what happened, did you lie to the people about the actual cost as well? Remember me Cal? Remember me standing up to you and that wonderful letter you wrote me? I'm your Huckleberry pal. Better you'd told the truth about what it was going to cost. Better if you didn't use the power of the government, to favor your pals the big land developers, in stealing land from the little guy below it's appraised value. Got stopped in your tracks, eh Cal? No pun intended. Money talks Cal, it's ruined the honor of many a man...
July 19, 2008
2:55 a.m.
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Domino writes:
I would hope that the local Congresspeople are doing their best to gather federal funds for this project, There should be enough saved when the US gets out of Iraq and the tax cuts for the rich are cancelled under an Obama administration.
July 19, 2008
4:16 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
Cut the tax break for the rich, let the poor use thier capital to create jobs. Lets all feed on the rich guy who had the ability to finance businesses that employ the rest who have little or no ability to create jobs. Hey, lets raise thier taxes so they can lay more people off and put them on the public dole with the extra revenue government created to help the poor through with a socialist handout. If you only knew what the rich truly do pay in taxes. In Colorado, private businesses are the largest employer other than the government. So let's take from the rich and give to the poor, after all it's the poor who have the extra capitol to put America back to work. Mr. Obama is no economic wizard, neither is Mc Cain, last thing you want to do with your banks going broke, your economy in the dump, unemployment skyrocketing is go after those who unlike the government have shown the business acuments to put people to work. Shrink government, lower taxes for all, especially the middle class, and quite trying to create a socialist handout state at the expense of those who have ability. The government never has been able to live within thier means. Funny how those with no ability always envy the ones with ability, what a grave insecurity to live in envy of another's talent for success. How about reigning in government spending first before going after your nation's private wealth?
July 19, 2008
5:22 a.m.
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robbyr2 writes:
Hate to tell you but the "trickle-down" theory has been disproven by the unprecedented reduction in taxes paid by the wealthy in this country over the past 27 years. Most of the rich got that way because the inherited it, they joined the CEO crowd by bamboozling the boss they then shafted, they can play football or sing well. They do not invest in America's business. They do not invest in our real estate. They wouldn't be caught dead in an American-made car. They collect the money from us and invest it everywhere else. Then when their property is threatened the rest of us go to war.
Even Warren Buffett thinks he doesn't pay enough taxes. He doesn't think it makes sense with all that he has for the government to protect that his secretary pays a greater share of her earnings to the government than he does.
This country became great because the rich invested in this country and the rest of us didn't make that too hard on them (vs the crushing taxes of post WW2 Britain or the current rates in Scandinavia). We took care of the poor as a mutual responsibility. Not any more. Times are changing. Maybe it's in part because the non-rich can see how poor our country has become depending on the rich to do their part.
July 19, 2008
5:32 a.m.
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natasha writes:
RTD needs to cut the sales tax they had for this, give the taxpayers back their money and then put it up for another vote. I am tired of our government promising things to voters then pulling a switcharoo on us. I live in school district 50 in Adams county. They are pulling the same crap. Someone needs to hold these people accountible for keeping their campaign promises.
This November remember- If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. This goes for those running for office too.
July 19, 2008
5:55 a.m.
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Domino writes:
Quit light rail because of inflation? It is inflation, not poor planning. Plus, the railroads are screwing RTD. Funny how the railroads got all their land free from the government to begin with. They are the ones that should have their land taken away.
July 19, 2008
7:15 a.m.
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rushrulesbaby writes:
You people who voted for this are so stupid! You believed them when they told you they could do it and now you find out they are hanging you out to dry and looking for more cash. You idiots who voted for this deserve to have every dime taken from your pocket to finish paying for this boondoggle. When are you going to get smart? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me thrice (fill in the blank)!
July 19, 2008
7:28 a.m.
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nogreenie writes:
How do you think we feel in Longmont, on the northern fringe of RTD? Longmont has always been the tail-end Charley with the RTD FasTracks plan, yet we pay the same 1.0% sales tax as someone living in central Denver that has already had the convenience of light rail for more than five years.
This mess is to the point where I seriously doubt that the NW Corridor and a FasTracks terminal in Longmont will ever be built.
July 19, 2008
7:35 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
As soon as this elections is over, the wonderful democrat Mr. Romanoff will go right back to attacking the will of the voter, and start gutting the TABOR. Both partys are going after more money, none will reign in government spending. The only reason Mr. Romanoff quit trying, is the party bigshots explained it would not be popular, in an election year to gut TABOR and raise taxes. Mr. Ritter even tried to upsurp the will of the people, by doing an end run around TABOR. You must think thier agenda is free, it's not. Watch what I have said come true after the election; Colorado democrats will try to gut the TABOR, and raise everybody's taxes. Just isn't a popular platform in election year, they need votes to keep thier position. The largest employers in Colorado, other than the government, is small business. That's who will get hit, that's who'll be laying off, that's who along with the people will pay. In the lean years, the head of my family absorbed the downturn by dipping into his personal wealth to keep our employees, he took care of thier families even though he wasn't generating the revenue to support them. Most small businesses are not as generous, they can't afford to be, so they cut back. If he government wants more tax money, let them earn thier keep and create new jobs, not raise taxes to keep thier huge appetites alive. It cost my family dearly to keep our employees in the downturn, but it also created great loyalty to our family for not laying them off. Yes, we have the means, after 20 some years without vacations, laboring 7 days a week, investing and openning new businesses, we made it. Most will never be willing to make the sacrifice even if they had the ability. At one time we had 7 different businesses of different types up and runnung at great profit, but it took a lot of work. Some nights I never came home because there was too much work to be done. So if the ole man wants to play with his half a million dollar car collection, or build his wife a mansion, he earned it. Not one employee did this man lay off, he paid thier wages even if it wasn't profitable. If you raise taxes, most small employers, which constitute the bulk of Colorado's employers, will not be as generous as our family. Better you teach the tax drunk politicians and lawyers at the capitol to live within thier means. No entity keeps on spending when losing revenues, except government. That's why they run deficits and pass them onto our children. Politicians get paid regardless, do you think they hurt in bad times? Democrat or republican, they need to sacrifice and stay within thier means. Did you like how they frooze your property tax values even though your property value fell? They know how to protect thier purse. Go sell your house for the appraised tax value they froze it at. Got news for you, not going to happen. Reign in government, don't burden the people.
July 19, 2008
7:57 a.m.
Suggest removal
LOUIE writes:
No pal, America has created thousands of new millionaires, most like ourselves didn't inherit squat. We built it. Difference is even though, America creates hundreds of new millinaires each year, there will always be a class of people who do not want to make the sacrifice, don't know how, have no ability, so they do the next bes thing: take it from someone else. It sad, but it's true. They let someone else establish thier worth, and never realize thier potential. Instead of gambling and risking security, they accept a job where someone else tells them what they are going to make. Is it the rich mans fault? Many do inherit, many more are working the dream, how many more millionaire will America create even in bad times? How many out there are willing to walk away from the security of thier job and take the chance? It'll take a measure of brains, luck, and I promise you, a lot of work. Not willing? Okay here's your handout and false security till your layed off. Don't like the trickle down? Have the courage to get to the headwaters. None in my family have college educations, they work for us; why is that? My oldest daughter will be the first graduating medical school next year. Spend thousands on education only to work for someone else calling the shots. Yeah, I hear you complaining, making excuses, but what have you done for yourself lately other than look at someone who made it with envy? So isecure pal, hang on to your job, your not cut out to be your own man. I only have an 8th grade education, but my family started out poor and together we made the dream. Wish we did inherit, it would have made it a lot easier. Even then, most are fools and require trust funds to preserve thier wealth inherited, cuase they don't have a clue how to handle it. So if you lose your job, "thank a politician for your condition", don't blame those with the courage and work ethic who made it, especially if your not even willing to try. Here's your trickle, since you refuse to swim to the source.
July 19, 2008
7:59 a.m.
Suggest removal
bxwatso writes:
RTD went to the voters with no real budget and no plans beyond general route ideas.
The original budget was based on how much money they were going to take in, not how much was going to be spent. At that time, they had not done any engineering studies to know the true costs. They didn't even know what kind of cars would ride on the rails.
Why should it be surprising that RTD was off budget by over 100% and counting?
In short, RTD sold the voters a pipe dream. Like every other tax increase, however, the voters bought into the big government lie. Denver voters are a bunch of fools and truly deserve the mess they are in.
July 19, 2008
8:01 a.m.
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Acemon writes:
They can't build on time or on-budget? Golly, what a surprise. Those of us who argued against it and said RTD's numbers were unrealistic were called naysayers (and worse), but at last the truth comes out. Don't blame it rising costs - blame it on the snake-oil salespeople who lied and the politicians who played along.
RTD = Real Thieves Deliver
July 19, 2008
8:28 a.m.
Suggest removal
Darwin writes:
robbyr2 - if the rich do not think they are paying enough, there is a provision which allows they to pay additional amounts to the U.S. Treasury. Some who espouse that thinking are just shills since they have their funds set up in off-shore trusts which allow them to pass on their millions and billions without paying any tax to the U.S. Two include the Kennedy family and George Soros.
LOUIE - alot of truth in what you wrote.
If we allow the government to continue down the current path, say hello to Socialism folks.
July 19, 2008
8:28 a.m.
Suggest removal
LOUIE writes:
All RTD did was create a package they could sell to the voter; politicians use this tactic all the time. Then when we are up to our eyeballs immersed in the project, the price goes up reflecting the true cost to the voter. Works most of the time unfortunately. Cal Marsella new exactly what was going on. Glad more people share the truth of this political ploy.
July 19, 2008
8:35 a.m.
Suggest removal
woodwose writes:
This is a complete outrage! You get the impression that there is no one at RTD that can find their bottoms with both hands and a flashlight. In August of 2003, New Mexico announced a project to run commuter rail on existing BNSF tracks from Belen to Santa Fe. They bought the right-of-way from BNSF from Belen to the Colorado border so commuter trains would never have to wait for a freight train, and in less than 3 years (in July of 2006) opened the first 50 mile segment between Belen and Bernalillo, right through Albuquerque. The remaining segment between Bernalillo and Santa Fe is scheduled to open at the end of this year. That's a 90 mile commuter rail line from conception to reality in a little over 5 years. They didn't screw around on all the bureaucratic make believe work that RTD has spent the last 4 years doing they just went out and got the darn job done. If a totally screwed up state like NM can so completely outperform RTD, what does that say about RTD?
July 19, 2008
8:56 a.m.
Suggest removal
toocool writes:
Ahh, brings back fond memories of the twenty-five year airport study - low-ball quotes - to attract voter suport, costs overeruns in the millions. Never support or vote for public projects that offer years of contruction, probable over-costs using estimates that couldn't possibly be realistic at the conclusion of the project.
July 19, 2008
8:59 a.m.
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gary writes:
R T D
Ripoff Taxpaying Dummies..
Nuff Said!
July 19, 2008
9:04 a.m.
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stevecolo writes:
The RTD board should give the voters a chance to repeal the FasTracks tax, and come back when they have a real plan, with real agreements (like with the railroads and possible private partners), real dollar figures, and a new general manager who isn't the last person in the Metro area to figure out that the program as currently constituted has no fiscal reality whatsoever.
July 19, 2008
9:13 a.m.
Suggest removal
mikeyg writes:
"Marsella defended the original estimates.
"Why would we lowball it and not be able to deliver?""
Cal, because you believe voters are gullible and stupid. You promised them the world for nothing, you sold it as too good to be true -- and you were right, the people bought it. And you know that it is better to ask for forgiveness and beg voters for "just a little more to finish it" than to have asked voters for permission to spend as much as it really would cost -- for a shadow of what you originally sold everyone on.
Cal, you know the answer to the question you ask: voters really are stupid. Folks, this is just a taste of the future under Obama/Udall -- they're promising you everything you dream of (free health care, free electric cars for everyone, we can talk our enemies into loving us, a chicken in every pot, retire like a millionaire) for little to no cost. Rest assured the costs are exorbitant and will come due at the end of the day the same as this RTD fiasco. You've been warned. Prove Cal and Obama/Udall wrong just this once by not being so stupid you believe them and actually vote for them.
July 19, 2008
9:26 a.m.
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Sallie writes:
As one of the little guys that Louie refers to above, I have to say I'm doing a little happy dance for your misfortunes. I fought Fastracks as hard as I could, because I own a home right where they want to put a station, or a parking lot, or want to sell my land to a developer....in any event, I was told I was destined for an eminent domain action regardless, and to just "shutup and put up," because losing my home was the price of progress. Well fellows, I hope you all lose YOUR homes, because you wanted to take mine, and what goes around comes around. Maybe you will see how it feels to have your property "nationalized" (as though we live in some 3rd world country with no property rights!)....so, hopefully, I'll be able to keep my home, and you greedy jerks will all to to H**ll.
July 19, 2008
9:32 a.m.
Suggest removal
ParkHillPosse writes:
Louie: You're a crackpot, nobody wants to read your page-long soliloquies. Stop wasting space and take your medication.
MikeyG: You offer little except verbal diarrhea. What has this to do with Obama/Udall? Your puny brain conflates an RTD projection viability issue with the presidential/senatorial elections? Stop wasting our time. It's not the voters that are stupid, it's you whose brain has gone soft and over-reaching.
To the rest of you loonies: Yes, it's disappointing that the FasTracks projections were off-base. But so is pretty much every single infrastructural project in this country. What about DIA? The downtown aquarium?
You whiney losers proffer nothing but slander that the head of the RTD is embezzling money or something. Stop whining about the issue and let's figure out a way to get the projections in order, fund the project, and create a viable transportation infrastructure. There is no other option, you freaks. Building more roads is unsustainable, we need public mass transportation, and the failure of RTD to have a realistic projection of costs doesn't obscure or invalidate that.
July 19, 2008
9:33 a.m.
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Sallie writes:
Oh, and by the way...the rail to Longmont and through Louisville and Boulder is NOT, repear NOT 'lIGHT RAIL' That is a blatant misrepresentation. Its HEAVY COMMUTER RAIL. Burning fossil fuels folks.....like diesel and gas. ITS NOT ELECTRIC AND IT'S NOT LIGHT AND IT'S NOT QUIET. It's FULL SIZED cars, with a plan to run every 7.5 minutes during rush hour. It's full sized train engines pulling full sized passenger cars over full sized (doubled) railroad tracks. The whole thing was misrepresented by RTD to begin with, and I can't believe how many people though they were going to get "light rail" to Boulder and Longmont.
July 19, 2008
9:34 a.m.
Suggest removal
LOUIE writes:
Remember the letter you wrote me Cal? My perception eh? Looks like a lot of people are lining up on you Cal. Be a real Snagglepuss and "Exit stage left", it starting to stink Cal...
July 19, 2008
10:08 a.m.
Suggest removal
HolierThanThou writes:
We heard the same thing before every existing light rail project: those who cry that it can't be done, that it's too expensive, that nobody is will ride, and so on ad nauseum. Evidently, only two of the above posters actually bothered to read the article.
What's funny is to read complaints about a 1% sales tax from the same bunch who go to the gas pump and get a reamer jammed up their kazoo for a hundred dollar fill-up. Wow! Do those guys have a complete inability to put things in perspective or are they just totally insane?
Could be a side effect from inhaling exhaust fumes...so maybe I should refrain from making sport of the sick.
One suggestion I propose to RTD is to refrain from using eminent domain to create commercial districts around the stops. It's unpopular and outside the scope of your mission.
Instead, use RTD's eminent domain powers on the railroad companies who are gouging you on the right-of-way. BNSF and Union Pacific are on government leases. They really have no right to charge a public railroad anything for the right-of-way because they're operating on a public land grant.
One thing the article does not mention is that the cost of the trains and other equipment is rising because the dollar is falling. We're buying much of this technology from Europe. They're ahead of us technologically and have mass production in place for building passenger rail systems.
Mass production is the way to reduce the cost of passenger rail. By doing these projects piecemeal, RTD is going down a hard and every expensive path. The piecemeal approach cannot be blamed on RTD. That fault lies squarely on the heads of all the naysayers who create political friction against building a nationwide passenger rail system.
Tremendous savings and economic benefits would come from investment in American factories to mass produce everything required to build and operate passenger railroads, not just around Denver but around every other town and city in America.
July 19, 2008
10:11 a.m.
Suggest removal
lawguy writes:
I hate to break it to all of you that drank the small government Kool-Aid, but if this area is going to sustain (let alone expand) a vibrant private sector in the years to come, Fastracks is a necessity. With gas prices at their current levels, the growth in this region is going to be crippled if people don't have viable public transportation options. In this atmosphere, no company in its right mind is going to locate in a city where their employees have to shell out 1/3 of their income on transportation costs. That means places like Chicago and San Fran will win, and Denver will loose.
July 19, 2008
10:21 a.m.
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gr8fun4me writes:
Why does any of this cost so much in the first place? Your just laying track! Something that has been done for the last 150 years all over this country. I think there are just a bunch of crooks ripping the taxpayer off again. I've noticed when construction companies need to get something done, it gets done quickly. If they want to take their sweet time they just move super slow to milk the taxpayer. Colorado Springs I-25 is a perfect example. They've been working on it for the 20 years I've been here while it took T-REX less than 5 to finish a much bigger project. Get the T-REX people in here to build the I-225 corridor to the airport. At least we know it will get finished!
July 19, 2008
10:28 a.m.
Suggest removal
SteveM writes:
People, relax! This is not a time for partisan rhetoric. The New York City Transit Authority just announced a $7.1 billion expansion that will basically amount to a new tunnel. Let's all just calm down, and think this through rationally. Obviously, there are hot points on all sides. One thing that is an absolute must for our region, and we should be demanding leadership on this from our absentee Governor--the last Governor was not absentee on his pet T-REX project and it's done, is that we not lose hope or sight of the impact this project will have on our entire region.
One of the things that keeps being lost on absolutely everyone, seemingly even the RTD Board members is that the spending doesn't go down the toilet. First of all, the money spent goes toward something. It goes toward a new system of transit that will reduce gridlock, pollution, and stress in the entire region. It will empower workers to get to jobs they currently cannot reach. It's an investment in the livelihood of future generations that cannot be ignored. Second, the construction projects create hundreds of thousands of jobs. The money being spent isn't going toward nothing. Every single construction worker employed is a construction worker that would have been otherwise unemployed. All of the people who work in the manufacturing plants that make the materials for the construction workers to use are also now making money and paying workers. And all the workers then have money to spend in their economies. How quickly we forget that the $5 billion spent to build DIA was a fantastic investment in the economic viability of our region, but also during that construction time there were over 100,000 people working on the site and earning wages. Those wages didn't go down the toilet. They paid rent, they paid mortgages, they bought groceries, they went into local banks, they went into local restaurants, and so on and so on. You guys know how it works. The problem is the negativity around the costs that paralyze forward progress on the projects. That's when you run into even more trouble and cost increases.
Immediate Suggestions:
(A) The RED Board needs to get the projects going on all fronts. This wait and see and mosey along approach is setting everything back and giving lots of opportunity for people to raise prices. Get this thing moving. You people should have had the Golden line half done by the day the Park Meadows line opened. Your feet dragging is costing us thousands a second.
July 19, 2008
10:29 a.m.
Suggest removal
SteveM writes:
(B) Governor Ritter needs to get involved. The moment the DNC is over, he needs to make this his highest priority project. He needs to be beating doors for federal funds, he needs to be seeking creative financial solutions, he needs to consider the advantages of privatizing certain elements, he needs to get corporations involved, he needs to figure out where to get the money and get this project onTRAK. There could be no bigger economic engine for our future than this project. Once completed, it will empower the entire region and accomplish so many things on the future task list from reducing pollution to reducing dependency on foreign oil. Every rail car is capable of taking 60 cars off the road. We all know this, but we need the inspirational voice of the Governor to step in and remind us. DIA was built because two inspirational Mayors never gave up on it. There were plenty of naysayers and saboteurs out there working constantly to get the thing mothballed even up to half way done, but Peña and Webb never surrendered. Without DIA, our city would need to be mothballed. So, Governor Ritter where are you on this???
(C) The media needs to stop its campaign of negative slants on everything they right about in this city. It's old, it's tired. You may think it sells more papers, but in reality it doesn't. Do you wonder why your subscription rates have never been lower? People who care about an area get sick and darn tired of reading all your negativity and just getting mad. But you continue to take negative slants on every single thing you write about from the sports teams to the DNC. And for what? Do you not realize the incredible damage you are wreaking? Your are like a tornado that won't go away. Report the facts, and cut the negative editorialized spin on the news. This story could have been written from this perspective instead just to give you an idea...
Headline: RTD TACKLES WORTHY CHALLENGES ON RAIL TO NATION'S LARGEST NEW TRANSIT SYSTEM: Given the incredibly important advantages to the FASTRACKS plan approved overwhelmingly by voters, the RTD facing costs spiraling out of control due to variances throughout the economy faces worthy challenges in creative solutions to ensuring the region-wide rail system is built as safely, quickly, and cost-effectively as possible. ETC. This slant puts a progressive slant on the news and a call to action for everyone who could have creative solutions. I know you have it in you to realize the power you have on this. Start using it for good.
July 19, 2008
10:30 a.m.
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SteveM writes:
(D) All the naysayers need to just shut up. I know it's not nice to tell people to shut up, but really. You lost. The voters approved the plan. You're like the southerners who still don't accept the outcome of the Civil War. It's over. Either get on board and help, or just shut up. We are all sick and tired of your rhetoric, your whining, your complaining, and your 'imminent domaining'. Get over it. Get over yourselves. If you don't like it, move away. Far, far away, maybe to another galaxy. Complainers are never part of the solution. They are part of the problem. So, if you're sore you lost, don't believe in mass transit, don't care about the future of our region at all, were soundly in favor of keeping Stapleton alive and well, then just shut up. We are sick of hearing from you. You're boring, and your days are over. If it weren't for people like you, FASTRACKS would have been build in the 1980s when the Feds were paying half the bills--that's how Wash, DC got half its system for free. We lost out on that and the incredible impact it would have had on our region back then 20 years ago, we're not going to lose out on what we have now.
July 19, 2008
10:38 a.m.
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Elwood writes:
How much in bonuses to the management has RTD paid out over the past 5 years? How much in salary increases are coming out of the light rail budget (remember the bus driver strike a few years back)? How much was spent on promoting this project to the voters? How much in kickbacks from the developers who got the cherry deals on the terminal land developement projects?
July 19, 2008
11:11 a.m.
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The_Punnisher writes:
Time to use that EMINENT DOMAIN on the RAILROADS instead of on the little guys, you B@ST@RDS at RTD. You are quick to pull it out and use it on the LITTLE guys, so why not pick on someone your own size?
THAT IS WHAT EMINENT DOMAIN IS USED FOR!!!
The UP & BNSF should have been " good neighbors ", but when they are not, THEN you play the ED card.
The only time I have seen ED used by RTD, it was for an UNJUST TAKING of property on the west side. Now if you had SHARED, BOTH sides would have benefited...all RTD did was create acrimony by it's actions.
Now RTD wants another handout? Get your act together FIRST, then we MAY talk about money. You've spent too much money ( for nothing ) already to give you anymore....
And I used to support light rail until I watched the VTA and RTD board foulups..
July 19, 2008
11:53 a.m.
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MereMortal writes:
You gotta love this:
"Marsella defended the original estimates."
"Why would we lowball it and not be able to deliver?"
You lowballed it because the voters would never have approved this boondoggle if the advertised cost had been $11 billion instead of $6 billion. The contingency and inflation estimates were too low and that was pointed out by the opposition before the vote. The Lakewood line is the only line worth building, as it is cost-effective. The rest of the money would have been better spent on busing and road improvements. Prepare to pay more taxes to bail out this idiotic pipe dream.
July 19, 2008
12:27 p.m.
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jacka writes:
Great project, but they low balled it on purpose. Hickenlooper knew it, the Denver Chamber knew it, and RTD knew it. Deception of the public.
July 19, 2008
12:38 p.m.
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oma writes:
it was predictable that the anti-govt dittoheads would respond to this article by railing against how a govt agency can't do anything right, bring anything in under budget, waste taxpayer's money, blah, blah, blah. don't forget that when this was voted on the price of materials were much less than what they are now so cost overruns are, unfortunately, to be expected. just look at your own household and you can see how much more it costs you to live these days. why is rtd, who i am no fan of by the way, exempt from inflationary pressures? also unfortunate, is that people have lobbied for a light rail for decades knowing that this day of reckoning w/ suffocating oil prices was coming yet these same dittoheads voted against it time and again saying it was too expensive. a solid mass transit system should have been in place long ago and all of us could be using it now and saving money and in the process putting the screws to the saudis. but no, the dittoheads blindly follow their leader and march into an unnecessary war that costs us $341 million a day, and contributes to the inflation of all of the prices in the consumer price index. contrary to conservative thought, the free market doesn't always arrive at the most socially responsible solution.
July 19, 2008
12:42 p.m.
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bygolly writes:
Who is really to blame? The voters who voted down a light rail system back in 1976. If light rail had passed in 1976 it would all be in place and would not have cost half as much. Hind sight is always 20/20 while failure to see potential is always costly.
July 19, 2008
12:50 p.m.
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Brockage writes:
I have to hand it to Jon Caldera who predicted this debacle years ago.
July 19, 2008
1 p.m.
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nuffsaid writes:
Let's get to the facts surrounding this issue.
Cal Marsella likes to say he was unanimously selected as GM in 1995, he wasn't, he was selected in an 8 to 5 vote with Jon Caldera casting the deciding vote. Cal thinks he is the reason FasTracks passed, he isn't. The polster hired by RTD for the FasTrack campaign said that if the price tag was $5 billion or more it wouldn't pass, it wasn't and it did. By it's own admission RTD admits that it has not reviewed the overall project estimates since 2004 and it shows. I just wish that RTD had the nerve to tell us what the true costs are. Are they $7 bil, $10 bil, $13 bil or ?? RTD, like many other tax funded entities in the front range, is being hurt by the lack of consumer spending. Everyone (cities, counties, etc.) are feeling the pain and there is no easy solution. We do need more public transportation but we need to decide how to fund it.
July 19, 2008
1:36 p.m.
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LOUIE writes:
Nuffsaid, your absolutely right, RTD and Cal sold the people a lowball price knowing full well it was going to cost more. It's not that fas tracks isn't needed, it was the way it was done. Marsella lied to the voters, Caldera was right. The opposition proved right. Secondly, using emminent domain to take property below appraised market value and turning around and selling it off at huge profits to commercial development is just plain wrong. Cal Marsella was going to use this government power to enrich RTD and the commercial developers at the private property owners expense without even giving them the appraised value much less a piece of the big profits RTD stood to reap. Cal needs to do right by these people, but he won;t. We need transportation and fas track is a great way to the future. Ripping off the voters with unrealistic cost projections was wrong, period. Mr. Caldera proved quite prophetic. ParkHillPosse, face it your boy Marsella is finally coming clean to the people; doesn't bother you, but did he kiss you first?
July 19, 2008
2:48 p.m.
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anya writes:
Holierthanthou: It's the perspective one.
July 19, 2008
3:39 p.m.
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EZBakeOven writes:
If they think they can go back to the taxpayers to ask for more money, they better think again. No way, no how!
July 19, 2008
4:39 p.m.
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Acemon writes:
SteveM;
You need to take a long swim in lake Get Real. You sound like a huckster trying to sell us a marching band. Tell us again how trains will help reduce congestion, then drive around town during rush hour. Even with the trains and buses filled to capacity, traffic is just as bad as always.
No matter how much cheerleading you do, an overly ambitious expansion coupled with insufficent funding is more than just an error - it's closer to fraud.
July 19, 2008
4:59 p.m.
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Charles_B writes:
LOUIE:
What would you have to do with your time if it weren't for throwing your body into the path of progress?
July 19, 2008
5:09 p.m.
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Acemon writes:
Charles_B;
Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn from time to time, so perhaps Louie is right. Cheaper light rail options exist, but we were offered a Cadillac. Since we can't afford the Cadillac, we need to look at reality-priced plans.
Pointing out the emperor has no clothes does not mean his critic hates fashion.
July 19, 2008
6:23 p.m.
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mikeyg writes:
Wow, all you liberals out there telling us to just get over it, get on board with helping to solve the problem YOU created by LYING to the voters in the first place. Typical. When the truth of the costs gets in the way of your big government ideals just lie about them to pass them, then demand we help you fix it - by spending more of our money. I wouldn't have a problem with you all so much if you were honest about the costs of your utopia up front and then gave voters the right to make an informed decision. But YOU LIE to achieve your goals. And the demand we go along for the ride. The arrogance.
This has EVERYTHING to Obama/Udall. Promise the world to voters, don't mention or lowball the costs and expect stupid voters to believe they can have something for nothing. Con men know that people fall for deals that are too good to be true all the time. Big government liberals like Obama/Udall realize they can no longer sell their vision if they disclose the real costs of them. So they lie. And voters buy. Only when the bill comes due, like this RTD fiasco is showing, do people realize they were conned. And folks, you're being conned by the Dems, Obama/Udall right now.
They're banking on our extreme displeasure with Bush to sweep them into power. Once there, though, they'll drive this recession into a depression by taxing you to death, doubling gas from $4 to $8 (tsk, tsk, you really shouldn't drive on fossil fuels anymore, never mind that the technology for some new energy is still in development and will require everyone, including poor people who have little to start with to buy cars with the new technology - or maybe just tax rich people to give vouchers for free new cars to the poor). And they'll allow our enemies to get strong enough to launch a real war against us, it'll make this slow bleed seem peaceful.
It is 1932 all over again. FDR's naive policies turned a recession into a depression and watched Hitler/Hirohito turn their impoverished nations into menaces to the world that took 70 million lives. Obama and the Dems see FDR's legacy as their utopian ideal to repeat. God forbid.
The RTD fiasco is your tiny peek into a horrific future if you vote for Obama/Udall.
July 19, 2008
6:30 p.m.
Suggest removal
emj1984 writes:
With all of what has been said look at this with LOGIC. Many of these lines are years from the first rock being moved, to say that work has begun but how many years of environmental impact studies are needed?? It seems to me that if you look at the air quality report in the winter we have more RED days than BLUE. I guess the big question is why do you need years of these studies??
Logical thinking should say if we could lessen the number of cars on the road then air quality would improve.
WOW!! Looks like I just did a study for the whole project in less than 30 seconds, and it was FREE. It seems to me that the ones making the cost go up are all parties involved in these studies by way of taking years to finish them and making their pockets fat at the same time while other costs keep rising. Looking at the north corridor, about the project page on fastracks web site it says they are in progress with a 2 year study that began in summer of 2006. This is the third study on this line alone, with the last two ending in 2005, and 2001. One would think that you could have gathered enough information in one of those studies, to have started work already and have locked in a price for it. I know that if the north corridor were up and running I would use it to get to work daily, but guess I will be driving another 10+ years.
Something else to look at is why they are not doing the work on extending the existing lines? The I-225, Southeast, and Southwest corridors have the most infrastructures already in place. So why not finish something that is smaller and would have less cost associated instead of building one from scratch (IE: the West corridor). If this were to occur at least you could prove to the people it will get done.
It makes one wonder if OPEC hasn’t given some of these people involved a kick-back to slow down a project that would lessen oil consumption in a large U.S. metropolitan area?
July 19, 2008
7:38 p.m.
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LOUIE writes:
You know, in a lot of way your right CharlesB; I am somewhat hardheaded, that's a point well taken. You see, we need new transportation ideas, Fas Tracks was something that they intentionally misrepresented to the voter. Secondly, I don't care for trolleys, it's an old archaic form of transportation. If we really want to move into the future with a system that is truly regional and even interstate, why not high speed bullet trains like the french have? Lets spend some real money and have a system that is able to zip me to destination at 300+ MPH. A system that is revolutionary enough to still be valid 20 years from now. Instead we reached back in time with technology and although it's cheaper by far, look what they're doing, beating us up with cost over runs that they knew were going to happen. I look at the comments here, and one thing does stand out, we need better transportation. One poster even mentioned some of the lines won't even be clean trolleys; diesel, why? Europe has the technology because mass transit is the predominate form of getting around. Look under the asphalt in Denver, and you'll see the old trolley tracks, this system is not only going to require maintanance as all systems do, but it an archaic system. Those japanese and french trains are not only clean burning, they are still as modern as when they went in 20 years ago. If we are going to move into the future, and maintain a system, why not high-speed bullet trains running throughout the United States. We once built interstates, why not put out in the next ten years as Al (believe me I am no fan of Al Gore) asks and really move into the future. Trolleys are nothing new, and Marsella and company can't even give us a staight answer. It's much more expensive, but look 20-30 years from now what we are going to spend maintaining these trolleys. It's like we stepped backwards into time, not forward. Your right CharlesB, I do stand in the way of progress, but I never saw trolleys as progress to begin with. What I propose would cost a hell of a lot more, and with people like Marsella at the helm, the people would really be ripped off raw. We need honest people with real vision, but where are we going to find an honest visionary who will truly put the needs and future of our nation first? We're not, so lets all take a bath with Marsella and go back in time as well. This man Marsella has no vision, he can't be trusted to be up front with the people either. I don't know, maybe I do need medication, at least I will be in eutopia and won't even know I'm being fleeced. Do I make any sense CharlesB?
July 19, 2008
9:20 p.m.
Suggest removal
daRock writes:
The entire board of RTD should be removed for ineptness. Remember this next time you vote.
The economy is the same for the private sector as it is for the public sector. Show me a private $4B venture that is coming in $2 B (wanna bet this doubles before all is said and done?) over budget and I will show you a bunch of people out of work.
There is no accountablity, responsibility or penalty for their gross mis-guided projections and mismanagement.
This is a total fraud and folly. Heads should roll. I will not vote for more $$ for this until there is a responsible team managing the money, project and a full plan is in place. To do otherwise would be foolish.
July 19, 2008
9:31 p.m.
Suggest removal
daRock writes:
One more thing. This system cannot even be used to the most needed stops for the 'green' convention next month.
Talk about a national showcase for our public transportation system.
July 19, 2008
10:01 p.m.
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gwats writes:
Cost overruns are pretty common things and Fastracks is really no big deal. Either fund it through tax increases or fares or stretching out the construction schedule, or abandon the whole project and kick yourself in the butt later for not doing it when you had the chance. The Board may have low-balled it to get it past the voters, but everyone with an IQ over 65 knows these projects increase in cost, not go down!
There is way too much whining going on with so much important work to do! Either lead, follow, or get the ***k out of the way!
July 19, 2008
10:40 p.m.
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daRock writes:
No Gwats, $2B overrun on costs for a local project are NOT pretty common. Name one other, private or public. Not even DIA!
The fares contribute an insignificant amount of revenue. The subsidy per rider is astronomical.
It looks nice, and there are many that will ride it to the sports venues, but outside of that it has been proven to be fairly worthless. WAY under projected revenues and way OVER cost. Sounds like a typical government program to me.
July 19, 2008
11:03 p.m.
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Chazorado writes:
My brother–a very wise man-recently told me how many in history have lost their battles due to thinking that was 10 to 15 years behind their times. Considering we are in the year 2008, people today with similar thought time frames might be stuck somewhere between 1998 and 1993.I think most of the writers of the comments to this blog topic as well as the thinkers at RTD suffer from such a thought frame perspective
So, lets look at a 2020 world from the perspective of trend line increases in the real cost of strategic minerals, energy, tooling of manufacturing, food, medicine, and, population.
Let’s say that’s when FasTracks is-or might be-completed. Say by 2020, metropolitan Denver has a population of 4,200,000 or so. Lets also say that for the bottom 80% of the population that their after tax income has not kept up with the true inflation rate (due to China’s doubling of it’s true per capital income, India’s 25-50% larger GDP, growth in Brazil, Russia, and, the Middle East, on top of domestic factors). A 20-40% drop in real income does not seem too unreasonable.
How are we going to provide transportation to such a city?
Electric powered cars? I doubt if the US can sustain it’s economy by switching over to an electric car system with the cars made in China, how could we afford that? And, no not fuel cell vehicles at $70,000 a pop, in 2008 dollars! How about $200,000,000,000 worth of solar farms in California and Arizona? Snap your fingers, and, they’ll spring from the desert like weeds. And, of course, the price of specialized materials required in building those arrays would not go up!! Coal and nuke power plants coming on line at the rate of one plant per week?
How will we move the masses in 2020? Most likely, the masses will move as masses move today in the third world.
RTD still has no comprehension how many people will not be able to afford cars in 2020. How about 1,000,000 people- and not just the poor and the elderly- needing a round trip per day? That is 2,000,000 single trips per day. Wow. That’s a 700% increase over 2007. And, that could well be on the low ball side.
In particular, the Fastracks system is slanted towards rewarding those downtown interests that at any point in it’s planning could have simply said ‘no’ and FasTraks would have been still born. Their Mantra has had to be reducing average speed and convenience in lieu of aggravating downtown Denver interests. The Union Station plan has devolved into a pre-War War II Chicago layout, not a 21st Century Japanese Station such as Shinjuku or Kyoto Station.
So, the system, when built out, will not be the most modern, the most efficient, or the most rapid. No, the system will be quaint, and, backward, like the US will be compared to much of Asia in 2020.
But, at least it (hopefully) will be there, moving far more people than anyone in 2008 can comprehend.
July 19, 2008
11:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
jpkiljan writes:
With all these comments--many so emotional--it may seem pointless to post another, but here's one that seems to have been overlooked:
The same issues that have inflated the costs of RTD's Fastracks projects--soaring energy and commodity prices, are the same ones that make the projects even more worthwhile. Transit ridership is also increasing because of these costs and I expect that RTD's projected ridership figures are also on the short side by the same amount.
If Israel decides that it has to launch air strikes on Iran later this year, we won't be wondering if if we're going to have to pay $5 a gallon for gasoline. We're going to be wondering if we can buy enough gasoline at any price all in the following years. If that happens, Fastracks could suddenly make a lot of sense to everyone.
I don't know which of the overrun options that Mr Flynn outlines are the best. I just hope the public makes the choices that are best for all of us.
July 20, 2008
7:27 a.m.
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rushrulesbaby writes:
Fastracks, hmmm, maybe this is what the people in charge are planning when the voters get pissed off enough at them for the gargantuan lies and deceit they used to sell this behomoth failure.
July 20, 2008
8:28 a.m.
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FCZ writes:
Same as the Boston Big Dig ?
The politicians knowingly lied and low balled the costs.
The voters are at fault for repeatedly accepting these lies.
Taxpayers will be shocked next year and the next year and the...
July 20, 2008
9:01 a.m.
Suggest removal
gputman2 writes:
RTD like many other governmental agencies are facing a hard set of times and costs. Local governments are seeing the price for projects go up and up. RTD is just the first one to step up and say they are being hit by these sharp raise in construction prices that they and the rest of us have never seen before. Asphalt, the product needed for parking lots for FasTracks has gone through the roof (up 250%)and how is hard to even get bids on. Steel for the trains and the tracks has gone up 93% since the vote in 2004. All construction material has increased faster that inflation. RTD is just the first of many governmental agencies that are stepping to the plate now and in the next few months and telling the public that they are in a bad situtation with the raising construction cost, down turn in the economy, and sharp rise in fuel cost. You will see in the month to come, all the rest of the local governments, Colorado Dept. of Transportation, and the federal governments inform the public that this project or that project is either being delayed, cut back in what is to be constructed, or totally eliminated. We have asked our elected officials for these projects at RTD, State, CDOT, and local governments, now we must understand that they are in hard times and will not be able to deliever on these projects either on time or on original budgets estimates. We must work with our elected officials to find solutions to get these much needed projects.
July 20, 2008
10:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
The_Punnisher writes:
If we are going to implement a QUAINT trolley system, why not go back to the hayburner system and expand the DPS system to handle it's pollution? ( remember what we had when oil WASN'T the answer to our energy needs? ) We want to look forward. If so, then we need a REAL transportation corridor along the Front Range using REAL bullet train technology. THAT is looking forward! ( and was the norm not too long ago )
The US subsidized railroads in the past. Now the railroads should payback....but it looks like they suffer from the same problem ALL US business suffers from: HYPERCAPITALISM. That is why UP and BNSF are not being good neighbors; they want $$$ FROM ANY SOURCE...
The RTD directors suffer from the same malady as well, this is why you get the same crap from them ( Eminent Domain, for example )
I check on those properties next to the west corridor; most people want fair market value and a chance to build their own businesses...not much speculation...and if you haven't noticed, Lakewood has seen a DECLINE in creation and maintaining business along the West Colfax corridor.
Time to get real and go back to a PARTNERSHIP relationship WHERE THE PARTNERS DON'T STAB EACH OTHER IN THE BACK ( Bill Gates and M$ comes to mind ) AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY...
Because we need to think AHEAD...and not just about the bottom line ( also a feature of HYPERCAPITALISM we see everyday.. )
Hint: The BART system in the SFBA was such a " fairy tale " system back in 1970....when EVERYBODY got together, it got partially built....Now you see the effects of NIMBY and HYPERCAPITALISM at work, and THAT system may never be completed....AND WE WERE PROMISED A RING AROUND THE BAY IN 1970!!!
The best solution: chuck the robber barons out and put REAL, PROVEN managers in AND ADD A REAL, PROBLEM SOLVING ENGINEER to the Board of Directors...Then you may just get something done...
July 20, 2008
12:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
SteveFesch writes:
Just wait until the RTD board members, Cal Marsella, Paul Forrester, Dennis Cole and other top level RTD administrators are sworn under oath and have to testify during the eminent domain cases. You all haven't seen anything yet. Stay tuned.
Oh if you'd like to send your thoughts to the RTD board of directors here is their contact information. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you. *chuckle*
http://www.rtd-denver.com/TheBoard/in...
I've been following EVERY move of RTD since last sept when I got my notice of eminent domain. There was a time I sought information from them to figure out what was going on. Now I can't seem to stop the flood of information from people who want to tell me what is really going on at RTD. You see they had a pretty tight knit group last year but the armor has cracked and the moles are talking.
Keep an eye on the news folks. This fiasco hasn't even started yet.
July 20, 2008
12:43 p.m.
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SteveFesch writes:
RTD a History of Deception..........Your home or business just might be next.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhwESn...
You think RTDevelopment cares about getting you to work or a ball game? Think again. It's all about Transit Oriented Development folks http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/media/up... and you all will be getting a crash course in it over the next few months.
Myself, other land owners, and the voters of Colorado have been lied to enough. The good news is there are some State Senators, House Reps, and other concerned citizens who are going to be putting all the facts on the table like I said. You can continue to believe the lies are choose to inform yourself of the facts as more and more of them will be coming out soon.
July 20, 2008
12:45 p.m.
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SteveFesch writes:
The human cost of Fast Tracks.............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HHbDQ...
July 20, 2008
1:24 p.m.
Suggest removal
rg writes:
RTD is the topic; therefore, I articulate my peeve which concerns the mall buses which I was against from day one. Now, it is even more pressing they be abandoned. To wit: Millions of people are obese and the walk would do them good; others can easily walk the mall. To wit: The cost, in fuel alone, is now prohibitive. To wit: Burning fossil fuel contributes to polution. To wit: Pedestrians would no longer be in harm's way. Get rid of the mall buses. Put bicyles in the bus lanes. Richard Grimes: Deicide.
Deicide Corner: “It is natural that people should differ most, and most violently, about the unknowable. . . . There is all the room in the world for divergence of opinion about something that, so far as we can realistically perceive, does not exist.”-- E. Haldeman-Julius
July 20, 2008
2:10 p.m.
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LOUIE writes:
Quotes of people past... It is true, history is a great teacher; apply today, that which humanity has evolved too; and make an aplicable answer to truly answer the questons of tommorrow. It's never as easy as it looks, never as simple as it sounds. Sound bites of the modern era, have replaced the brillance God gave you: reason...
July 20, 2008
6:52 p.m.
Suggest removal
kali73 writes:
Make freeloading Castle Rock pay RTD tax since they use RTD but don't pay the tax. They all drive up and use the lightrail and take up parking for the rest of the real taxpayers!
July 21, 2008
6:57 p.m.
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cobanobs writes:
Mr. Marsella is the highest paid public official in the State of Colorado (that's right, he makes more than Governor Ritter). The RTD Board of Directors whom Mr. Marsella works for has continually given him raises and bonuses during his tenure. In addition, many of RTD's salaried employees were given record raises after FasTracks was voted in. RTD reasoned that these employees responsibility levels had changed and that they had to stay competitive with other transit properties that might try to lure them away. In 2006 however, after a 3 year pay-freeze, they offered their hard-working front-line Union employees such an insult that they went on strike to make the public aware of the record raises RTD gave management. Almost 4 years after FasTracks was voted in it is obvious that RTD management is incompetent. Their actuaries have an established track record of underestimating costs and over estimating sales-tax revenues. Perhaps it is time to rescind the raises and bonuses that Mr. Marsella and his salaried employees received. It is obvious they can't do the jobs they are being paid to do. Who would hire them now they have failed so miserably?
July 21, 2008
8:56 p.m.
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Superstar writes:
People should be thankful that they live in a progressive city that is preparing for the future. The fingerpointing has begun, but RTD should stand strong and know that they have people behind them. The alternative is that this whole thing folds and we become prisoner to the automobile and the oil millionaires overseas. Times are tough for everyone, even companies like RTD. At least they're honest.
July 22, 2008
4:11 p.m.
Suggest removal
bookwerm writes:
Raise the fares, they are ridiculously low by the standard of ANY other first world country. Folks from Europe simply can't comprehend why it is so so cheap. Make folks show RTD Tax district residency, and charge full costs to out of area riders. DO charge long term parkers, and out of area parkers.