The man who is already Colorado’s highest paid public official is getting a nice raise and bonus despite the fact the agency he oversees is besieged by major problems.  Cal Marsella, RTD General Manager, whose base salary is already $290,286 will receive a 4.87 percent raise of $14,137 and a 12.5 percent bonus of $36,286. 

According to the Denver Post (quoted), Marsella also receives:

• Pension credits equal to two and a half years of service for each year worked, retroactive to 1995. It means that Marsella, with 14 years of service, has earned 35 years of pension credit.
• Annual payments by RTD averaging about $20,000 a year from 2005 through this year into Marsella’s deferred compensation program.
• The right, since 2005, to six weeks of vacation annually. Unused amounts may be carried over year to year and upon retirement or termination, Marsella can cash out 100 percent of the accrued time. He currently has 1,010 hours of vacation accrued.
• A similar right to carry over accrued sick leave year to year and cash it out upon leaving RTD. Marsella has 939 hours of accrued sick leave.

Being the kind and generous soul that he is, Mr. Marsella had offered to defer his raise and bonus but the RTD board decided to decline the offer.  In the end, it matters little whether they pay it now or pay it later as RTD and the taxpayers are stuck rewarding failure.  Further, when Marsella finally cashes out and leaves (SOON PLEASE), he stands to do quite well with 250 days worth of vacation and sick time coming to him not to mention his pension and deferred compensation. 

How someone who has overseen FasTracks, the largest boondoggle in Colorado history, can qualify for a raise or bonus is beyond me.  Only in government work is this type of thing possible. 

Well, okay, maybe if you worked for AIG you might get this kind of compensation. 

NOTE:  The Denver Post article once again brings out the same line about RTD having built previous light rail lines ‘on budget.’  That is FALSE as we have outlined before (click here).  When is someone in the press going to call them out on this?

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