Honestly, walking into a voting booth in Colorado feels like taking a pop quiz on constitutional law. You're standing there, staring at a ballot the size of a CVS receipt, trying to decode what a "voter-approved revenue change" actually means for your wallet. In November 2024, residents across the Denver metro area faced exactly that with Regional Transportation District Ballot Issue 7A.
Most people saw the word "tax" and immediately tensed up. That's the Colorado reflex. But 7A was a different beast entirely. It wasn't a tax hike. It was a "de-Brucing" measure—one of those quirky Colorado legal maneuvers named after Douglas Bruce, the father of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Basically, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) asked for permission to keep the money it already collects instead of handing it back in tiny, complicated refunds.
It passed with a massive 69% of the vote. That’s a landslide by any definition. But just because it passed doesn't mean the drama is over. In fact, for many transit riders and taxpayers, the real story is only starting to unfold now.
The "Blank Check" Myth vs. The Fiscal Cliff
One of the biggest misconceptions about Regional Transportation District Ballot Issue 7A was that it was a grab for new money. It really wasn't. For decades, RTD had been operating under a previous exemption from 1999. That exemption was tied to the debt used to build the light rail lines we see today.
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Once that debt was paid off in late 2024, the "TABOR cap" was scheduled to snap back into place like a rubber band. Without 7A, RTD would have been forced to dump between $50 million and $60 million a year back to taxpayers. Sounds great until you realize that for the average person, that refund might have been $30 or $40. For the agency, however, that $60 million represents about 10% of their operating budget.
Imagine trying to run a household where 10% of your income suddenly vanishes because you finished paying off your car. You’d have to stop buying groceries or cancel your insurance. For RTD, failing to pass 7A would have meant "service rightsizing"—a polite way of saying they’d have to axe about 20% of their bus and rail routes starting in 2026.
Why the TABOR Cap is So Weird
TABOR limits revenue growth based on a formula: inflation plus the change in local property value. If the economy booms and people buy more stuff—generating more sales tax—the agency can't keep the "extra" money even if the demand for buses goes up.
It’s a "ratchet-down" effect. If there’s a recession and revenue drops, the cap drops too. When the economy recovers, the cap stays low, preventing the agency from ever fully bouncing back. Regional Transportation District Ballot Issue 7A essentially cut those strings permanently.
What RTD Promised (And What They’re Doing Now)
The ballot language was specific. It wasn't just "give us money." It listed priorities that a broad coalition, including AARP and the NAACP, got behind. We’re talking about:
- Maintaining the "Zero Fare for Youth" program (keeping it free for kids 19 and under).
- Repairing aging rail lines that have been causing those annoying "slow zones."
- Keeping services for people with disabilities, like Access-a-Ride.
- Investing in "cleaner" transportation to hit those ozone reduction targets.
But here is where things get sticky. Even with the win, RTD isn't exactly swimming in cash. They are still staring down a "structural deficit."
Just recently, a federal judge had to step in because of a lawsuit regarding paratransit fares. Even though 7A promised to maintain services for people with disabilities, RTD pushed through a price hike for their "Access on Demand" program. The agency argued they have to be "fiscally responsible," but advocates are calling it a betrayal of the 7A promise. It shows that while the ballot measure saved the agency from a total collapse, it didn’t solve the underlying tension between rising costs and public expectations.
The Opposition Nobody Saw
Interestingly, there was no massive, organized campaign against 7A. No "Vote No" TV ads saturating the airwaves. But the philosophical opposition was loud. People like Natalie Menten, a former RTD board member, argued that TABOR is the only thing keeping a "runaway agency" in check.
The argument is basically: if you give them a "blank check" by removing the cap, they have no incentive to be efficient. They'll just keep spending and then ask for more later. To those critics, the $40 refund isn't about the money; it's about the principle of holding the government accountable for every cent.
The Transit Reality Check
Let's be real. RTD has a reputation problem. Between ghost buses that never show up and safety concerns at Union Station, many taxpayers felt like they were being asked to reward mediocrity.
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But the "Yes" side won because the alternative was worse. If 7A had failed, the "death spiral" would have begun: less money leads to worse service, which leads to fewer riders, which leads to even less money. Voters basically decided that a flawed transit system is better than no transit system at all.
How This Actually Affects Your Commute
If you live in the Eight-County District (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, and Weld), you’ve already seen the impact of Regional Transportation District Ballot Issue 7A—mostly by what hasn't happened.
You didn't see a 20% service cut this morning. The Free MallRide is still running. The "N Line" to Thornton hasn't been mothballed.
However, the "maintenance" part of the ballot promise is the one to watch. RTD is currently in the middle of a multi-year project to fix the downtown rail loop and address subgrade issues on the E, H, and R lines. This work is expensive, slow, and frustrating for riders. The revenue kept via 7A is what makes these repairs possible without the agency having to take out even more high-interest debt.
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Practical Next Steps for Residents
The vote is over, but the oversight is just beginning. If you want to make sure your "de-Brucing" vote actually goes where it was promised, you've gotta stay involved.
- Watch the Audits: The ballot measure specifically mandated independent audits. These are public records. Check the RTD website for the "Annual Comprehensive Financial Report" (ACFR) to see if that $60 million is actually going to bus repairs or just getting swallowed by administrative overhead.
- Attend Board Meetings: RTD has an elected board. These people represent you. If you’re upset about paratransit hikes or slow trains, show up to their Tuesday night meetings or email your district representative.
- Use the Service: The best way to justify the 7A funding is ridership. If you haven't tried the "Zero Fare for Youth" or explored the newer BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) plans for East Colfax, give it a shot.
- Track the 2026 Budget: This is the first full year where the 7A impact hits the books. Keep an eye on the "Capital Improvement Plan" to see which stations are getting the promised security upgrades.
The passing of Regional Transportation District Ballot Issue 7A was a vote of confidence, but it was also a stay of execution. The agency now has the money it needs to stay afloat—now it just has to prove it can actually run the trains on time.
Keep an eye on the state legislature's RTD Accountability Committee too. They're currently looking at whether the agency's entire structure needs a reboot, 7A or not. The money is secured, but the mission is still very much a work in progress.
Next Step: You might want to look into the specific RTD Board Director who represents your neighborhood to see how they voted on recent service changes. I can help you find your district and representative if you'd like.