Colorado's economy, productivity and quality of life are linked to the transportation system – highways, railroads and airports. A core responsibility of the legislature is to support strong and dependable infrastructures.

We cannot afford any longer to neglect upkeep and postpone expansion of Colorado's transportation grid. Yet, we also cannot presume that the voting public will embrace a massive tax-and-fee hike.

Instead, we should treat transportation like the budget priority it's supposed to be by protecting current funding - constitutionally - from raids by the General Assembly. We also must make highway funding more fair for the taxpaying public as we become more innovative in our approach to financing new projects.