RTD’s budget woes

Re: “RTD reduces layoffs target, but agency’s budget shortfall grows,” Sept. 16 news story

RTD board members have lost sight of who it is they serve here in the Denver region. It is the people who ride public transportation and those who do not. A display at the I- 25/ Broadway Station proclaims, “The problem isn’t too many people; it’s too many cars.”

And yet, they plan an action that will only increase the number of cars on our streets and highways! Since ridership affects their funding, they will only be hurting themselves, along with all of us who live in their transportation district. If their plan is to replace the fairly compensated union drivers with lower- paid non- union workers, I want to know where they see this race to the bottom ending? All I see is a spiral into nonexistence. No drivers, no service. No service, no riders! No riders, no income! RIP, RTD! Death by a thousand cuts!

Muriel Ponder, Denver ● ● ●

If RTD is so worried about a crisis in lack of revenue, they need look no further than installing light rail fare stations with gates at every stop to prevent the hundreds of scofflaws and freeloaders from riding the rails for free every day. The honor system doesn’t work. Look at other major cities like New York, Atlanta, Chicago, DC. You must pass through a turnstile and purchase a ticket before you board the train. It’s a no- brainer.

Jeff Courson, Arvada