Just to make sure you have the latest information concerning the FasTracks program, the following is a link to the budget presentation staff gave the RTD Board last month: http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/main_152.

The punch line is that the FasTracks budget dropped $1 billion in the last year, to $6.9 billion.  This is due to reduced demand for some construction commodities and lower labor costs in the face of the global economic melt-down.  However, as a result of the same global economic conditions that are affecting FasTracks costs, projected sales tax revenue is falling like a lead balloon.  The result is a projected $2.2 billion deficit in the funds that are necessary to complete full build-out of the FasTracks system by 2017.

Fortunately, the finger pointing regarding who is at fault for this budget deficit is beginning to subside.  After much analysis, the Metro Mayors Caucus came to the same conclusions as RTD regarding the economic factors that caused us to land in this place.  They are now joining the RTD Board in working toward solutions, including “tentative” support for a future sales tax increase to finance completion of the system: http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_11887364.