Gov. Bill Ritter's refusal to rule out a gas-tax hike on Coloradans confirms that "a tax hike for transportation is pretty much what we can expect" from the Ritter administration, the Senate's Republican leader said today.

Senate GOP chief Andy McElhany, of Colorado Springs, also rebuked the governor for failing to defend the current highway-funding mechanism against repeated raids by lawmakers who divert those dollars to grow other government programs.

McElhany said Ritter's attempt to sidestep any stance on a gas-tax hike while a commission he appointed studies the issue makes clear that the panel is "an old political ploy to give cover to the governor" when he ultimately seeks a tax hike.