Face the State

Media reports have widely covered the fact that Regional Transportation District board members can expect a 400 percent salary increase. But how can the Democrats in the state legislature who pushed for the increase justify such spending in the face of $2 billion in cost overruns for light rail expansion?

Democrats, including state Rep. Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo West, say that RTD board members deserve a raise since it has been 26 years since their last one. But with public uproar raging about FasTracks cost overruns and allegations that RTD is overly eager to see private property unnecessarily condemned for the expansion, now is not the time for a raise. RTD has proven only one thing - that it is incapable of effectively managing its latest rail project.

Senate Bill 46 - now heading to Gov. Bill Ritter's desk for his signature - would increase the salaries of RTD’s 15 board members from $3,000 a year to $12,000 a year – working out to be $1,000 per meeting. They are only required to attend one meeting a month. This is on top of a travel allowance and other perks they already receive. Additionally, the general manager gets almost $250,000 a year, making him the highest paid bureaucrat in the state.

Also concerning, the precedent has been set for other publicly elected board members across Colorado: You get a pay raise when you overshoot your work budget by billions. What a nice life to lead.

We can only speculate about who will be next in line at the trough. The State Board of Education - whose elected members are unpaid beyond thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded perks each year - are now enduring an audit amidst accusations of reckless spending. The University of Colorado Board of Regents - after years of scandals that have cost taxpayers millions - might also deserve some taxpayer cash.