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I will look for and fight for common sense solutions to crime on RTD, scrutinize budget increases, and fight for flexibility within RTD to service the wider non-downtown ridership.
About Kathleen
I am a fourth-generation Colorado native.
I grew up in southern Colorado and moved to the Denver area in 1991. I have lived in Arapahoe County since 1995. Transportation and mobility are paramount to a growing prosperous community. People don’t just need a ride to and from work, they need mobility to pursue the American dream. People who cannot get to a good job, get to a quality school, and are not safe in their chosen neighborhoods are not living their full potential. As a compassionate society, we need to empower people as they seek a better life for themselves and their families.
I was a single mother who relied on RTD to get my son to his violin lessons. It was a struggle as I worked downtown and lived in SE Aurora. There was no good way to get him to Yale and I-25 for his weekly lesson. I needed to rely on RTD. My experiences changed how I used RTD. I needed more than just a ride I needed help. Mobility, the ability to go where I needed when I needed, became paramount in my life and the life of my son.
Flexibility In Mobility
Top Issues and Stances
I'm committed to tackling the urgent issues facing RTD. My priorities are enhancing safety amid rising crime rates and addressing budget constraints by advocating for cost-effective, flexible transit solutions. Together, we can improve RTD for everyone.
Safety on RTD
There has been a significant increase in crime on RTD
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Between 2019 and 2023, violent crime rose by 53%, including a 300% rise in murder, an 86% rise in aggravated assault, a 32% rise in non-consensual sex assault, and a 32% rise in robbery.* (Common Sense Institute)
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Property crimes also increased by 89% during the same timeframe, including an 89% rise in larceny, a 13% rise in burglary, a 48% rise in fraud, and a 202% rise in motor vehicle theft. *(CSI)
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Drug crime increased even more sharply. The number of drug violations at air/bus/train terminals rose by 248% between 2019 and 2023 and the number of drug equipment violations rose by 858%. *(CSI)
How to fix this?
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Work with state legislators to make violent crime penalties tougher including bonding out laws for crimes committed on RTD property.
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Increase patrols on RTD to enforce ridership rules and laws including paying fares. If you pay for ridership, you are likely to obey the laws of the system.
Budget Constraints
RTD has the 4th largest budget in the State
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Ridership on RTD has fallen tremendously yet the cost has increased exponentially.
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The Budget in 2023 was just under $1.2 Billion. The proposed 2024 budget is nearly $1.25 Billion. That is over a 6% increase.
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Increases in costs include labor, benefits, and fuel. There are many other increases as RTD is adding more rail lines. Is this necessary and prudent today? I would argue no.
How to fix this?
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The answer is not to keep increasing taxes but to cut the expenses or cost of RTD for the taxpayer. Often, it is not a revenue problem; it is a spending problem.
RTD needs to focus on bus routes, not more rail lines.
RTD is a regional transportation district, not the Colorado Department of Transportation. We should be concentrating on flexible solutions for an ever-growing population. Buses are much more flexible than light rail. People need mobility and buses fit that need. Rail lines are fixed and do not accommodate the needs of people outside of downtown Denver.
Kathleen's Endorsements
I am honored to have the support of community leaders who believe in my vision for a safer, more efficient RTD. Their endorsements reflect our shared commitment to improving transportation for all residents.
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