DENVER — Regional Transportation District CEO and General Manager Debra A. Johnson is on the path to getting a pay increase in 2025, after a tumultuous year for the transit agency.
On Thursday, RTD's performance committee held a meeting to go over Johnson's "2024 performance appraisal and related compensation change."
"We have three tiers that appeared in this framework of, does not meet expectations, meets expectations and exceeds expectations, with meets expectations really being the target, with fully meeting being satisfactory performance," said one of the RTD performance committee members during the meeting Thursday.
The performance appraisal reveals "assessment results to RTD's Assessment Scale point system."
The performance appraisal revealed Johnson's performance rating was 67 out of 100 points. That placed her within the "meet expectations" category and "qualified her for an adjusted base salary increase between 3.25% and 5.99%."
The ultimate percentage salary increase will be 4.86%, which adjusts Johnson's annual base salary from $402,325 to $421,878.
"I'd like to thank the General Manager and CEO for her performance over the previous year," a performance committee member said. "Certainly there are opportunities to improve, but I think we've seen a very strong performance by our General Manager and CEO."
It comes during a year when RTD saw speed restrictions on rail lines during maintenance work, mechanical issues as late as this week, delays and even the skipping out of a transportation hearing at the state capitol where RTD problems were set to be discussed.
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"It's a constant shock," said Paolo Solorzano, the founder of RTD Rider Alliance, a grassroots organization of transit riders. "I think a lot of people feel gaslit."
Solorzano has been a loyal transit rider since 2008. He's relied on RTD's extensive system of rail lines and buses to get to work, doctor's appointments and more. In recent years, he said he's only become more and more disillusioned by the transit agency.
"That's what we as riders are facing. We need more accountability," Solorzano said.
Accountability, answers, and solutions to some of the issues Solorzano believes are plaguing the transit agency.
"We want to talk to you guys, and we want you to explain to us why we have real-time, you know, boards and stuff. They're supposed to be working well, but they're just they're not working," he said. "We need you to be up there with us, not distant from us."
Solorzano told Denver7 he doesn't feel good about the raise Johnson is on the path to getting.
"When people find out that Debra Johnson is being paid that much, it's shocking to people," he said. "Most people don't know, and it does affect morale."
He did want to make one thing clear: He loves public transit and wants RTD to be successful and used by as many people as possible.
"It's a great opportunity to actually create a world, really a world-class system," Solorzano said. "So many people again, grandmas, young kids, those are the people who need it to move, to keep their lives moving and to stay healthy."
RTD's performance committee voted unanimously in favor of Johnson's raise. RTD's Board of Directors is scheduled to take up the adoption of that increase during its scheduled meeting on Dec. 3, 2024.
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