Colorado Legislature The Bully Pulpit

Senate Bill 25-161: Transit Reform

Written by Scott James

Senate Bill 25-161 isn’t about fixing RTD—it’s about pushing radical climate mandates, creating more bureaucracy, and limiting voter choice. Instead of fixing transit, it expands government control and wastes tax dollars. Tell your legislators to VOTE NO on SB 25-161! We need real reform, not more government overreach!

Senate Bill 25-161 is a bloated, big-government disaster that forces radical climate policies onto the Regional Transportation District (RTD), expands bureaucratic oversight, and increases government control over local transit.

This bill:

  • Forces RTD to align with “Transportation Vision 2035” and extreme climate mandates, prioritizing green energy ideology over practical transit solutions​.
  • Creates an RTD Accountability Committee packed with unelected bureaucrats who will push progressive agendas with little public oversight​.
  • Adds nonvoting ex officio members to the RTD Board of Directors, further centralizing control in unelected officials​.
  • Mandates worker retention and climate-based performance goals instead of focusing on delivering cost-effective, reliable transit​.
  • Removes write-in candidates from RTD Board elections, stripping voters of their ability to elect grassroots candidates​.

This isn’t about improving transit. It’s about pushing climate radicalism, bloating government bureaucracy, and eliminating accountability.

My Thoughts on this Bill

RTD is already a bureaucratic nightmare that mismanages taxpayer dollars and fails to deliver reliable transit. Instead of cutting waste and prioritizing affordable, effective transportation, SB 25-161 shackles RTD with climate mandates, social policies, and more red tape.

This bill isn’t about transit reform—it’s about government control.

Why SB 25-161 Must Be Stopped

❌ Forces radical climate policies – RTD should focus on moving people efficiently, not being a pawn for the green energy agenda.

❌ Expands unelected bureaucratic oversight – More committees, more oversight, more wasted money.

❌ Strips voter choiceBanning write-in candidates limits democracy and ensures only establishment politicians control RTD.

❌ Mandates progressive social goals – Worker retention quotas and climate targets don’t fix broken transit systems—they just add more bureaucracy.

Enough is Enough: No More Government Overreach!

Colorado needs real transit solutions, not more climate mandates, political oversight, and bloated bureaucracy. SB 25-161 is a Trojan horse for big-government control.

📢 Tell your legislators to VOTE NO on SB 25-161! Transit should be about moving people—not pushing radical policies!

Monitor the Progress of Senate Bill 25-161 HERE.

About the author

Scott James

A 4th generation Northern Colorado native, Scott K. James is a veteran broadcaster, professional communicator, and principled leader. Widely recognized for his thoughtful, common-sense approach to addressing issues that affect families, businesses, and communities, Scott, his wife, Julie, and son, Jack, call Johnstown, Colorado, home. A former mayor of Johnstown, James is a staunch defender of the Constitution and the rule of law, the free market, and the power of the individual. Scott has delighted in a lifetime of public service and continues that service as a Weld County Commissioner representing District 2.