Leading Republicans urged ruling Democrats today not to count on hard-pressed taxpayers for more transportation funding anytime soon--and instead adopt innovative alternatives to higher taxes and fees.

The lawmakers were responding to news this week of survey results that continue to show the public isn't interested in paying more for transportation despite bottlenecked traffic arteries and a backlog of highway upgrades around the state.  As reported in today's Rocky Mountain News, a survey by the group Move Colorado showed that while voters are beginning to see transportation as a more pressing issue, they aren't ready yet to raise taxes. The findings mirror those of previous surveys that show little public appetite for tax or registration-fee hikes to upgrade the transportation grid. 

Republicans say the latest round of public feedback should come as no surprise. 

"By now, you would think everyone at the Capitol would be tired of driving transportation policy down the same dead-end road of seeking one-size-fits-all tax increases," said the GOP's Sen. Josh Penry, of Grand Junction. "We're heading into a recession, and taxpayers are strapped."

Move Colorado's survey findings were disclosed at a hearing Tuesday at the Capitol as state transportation officials briefed the Transportation Legislative Review Committee about plummeting highway revenue. Although the dismal fiscal forecast renewed calls in some quarters for lobbying the public to provide more funding, statehouse Republicans said it is time for a new approach altogether.