DENVER—Denver’s Regional Transportation District is gauging support for another sales tax increase to expand bus and rail service.
The price tag for the FasTracks project has increased to $7.9 billion from $4.7 billion because of higher fuel and materials costs. Sales tax revenue needed to pay for the project has also fallen off.
At a meeting to discuss the problem Thursday, about 75 percent of 43 people polled said they supported a sales tax hike of 0.2 cents to 0.3 cents.
Voters previously approved a 0.4 cent sales tax to pay for the work.
RTD spokesman Scott Reed says officials will hold 13 more public meetings over the next month.
Another option being considered is taking 17 more years to complete the work. Under that plan, the project would be finished in 2034 rather than 2017.
Reed said public officials will also be asked about what they consider the best option. RTD officials are expected to develop a plan in March on how to go forward, Reed said.
