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Michael Farrington
Residence: Commerce City
Profession: Local Government and Land Use Law
Education: J.D. from University of Colorado, BA in government from GCU
Experience: Colorado Law graduate with experience in local government, public policy, housing, and land use across Colorado.
What are your top three priorities, if elected?
My top three priorities are safety, reliability, and actually fulfilling promises made to Front Range communities. Riders deserve a system where they feel safe on buses, trains, and at stations where service shows up when it is supposed to. I want communities in Commerce City, Brighton, and Thornton to see the investments they were promised, including better bus service and completion of the N-line. RTD needs to rebuild trust by improving the service people use today while finishing the projects our communities were promised decades ago.
RTD is facing significant budget shortfalls, with varying calls for cuts to fixed-route service, fare increases and a ballot measure asking voters for a sales tax increase. What ideas do you support, and why?
I’m a “yes, and” person when it comes to RTD’s budget. We need to look at every option instead of pretending there is one easy fix. That may include reviewing some fares, especially regional fares, to make sure they are fair and workable. We may also need additional state support or, potentially, a voter-approved tax measure. At the same time, any service cuts must be targeted, fair, and efficient. RTD should also be more aggressive about generating revenue from its land, pursuing grants and sponsorships, and using existing resources better before asking taxpayers for additional support or reducing core service.
What concerns do you hear from RTD riders, and what would you do to address them?
I hear a lot that people want to feel safe using RTD, and they want the system to actually get them to where they need to go. Too many people have gotten used to long waits, missed connections, or started avoiding RTD altogether because they do not feel comfortable using it. I do hear excitement about finally finishing the N-Line and bringing back services like BroncosRide.
We’ll rebuild trust by putting more trained personnel on the system, improving reliability and connections, vastly improving communication, strengthening bus service, and following through on long-promised projects like the N-Line and BroncosRide.
Jessica Sandgren
Residence: Thornton
Profession: Senior Project Manager
Education: BA Science
Experience: A proven leader focused on expanding neighborhood shuttles, securing key funding, and making sure seniors and under-served communities aren’t left behind.
What are your top three priorities, if elected?
To earn back trust and get people riding transit again, my priority on the board will be delivering results in three areas: safety, reliability, and fiscal accountability.
First, I will push to replace failed strategies with practical safety measures and zero tolerance for broken rules, keeping stations clean and well-lit so riders and drivers are actually protected. Second, I will fight for direct, reliable rides without extra transfers, making schedules dependable across all days, nights, and weekends. Finally, I will enact smarter spending; replacing large, empty buses with flexible options, expanding transit as our communities grow, and holding RTD accountable to finish the projects our communities already paid for.
RTD is facing significant budget shortfalls, with varying calls for cuts to fixed-route service, fare increases and a ballot measure asking voters for a sales tax increase. What ideas do you support, and why?
I do not support asking voters for a sales tax increase. Local taxes already fund nearly 80% of RTD’s budget, yet the agency faces a projected multi-million-dollar structural deficit while ridership remains flat. Asking taxpayers for more money before fixing existing operations is the wrong approach.
To get people riding again, we must provide quality, reliable service that people can depend on. People will choose transit when it is safe, clean, and runs on time. I support using our budget smarter by replacing underused, empty buses with flexible micro-transit, aligning routes with real demand, enforcing fare collection, and demanding full financial accountability for how tax dollars are spent.
What concerns do you hear from RTD riders, and what would you do to address them?
When I talk with neighbors across our district, three big complaints come up constantly: transit takes way too long, you can’t rely on service to get back home, and stations don’t feel safe. Our communities are expanding rapidly with more places to go, but we have fewer ways to get there, leaving families with little choice but to drive.
We keep paying into a system that isn’t delivering. Having already helped advance on-demand transit and local access, I won’t waste time getting up to speed. I’ll step into RTD on day one ready to push for those exact solutions to expand local routes and safety across the district.
