WYOMING, Mich. (WZZM) --  Local lawmakers meeting Monday agreed Michigan's roads need lots of money, but finding that money has been a big challenge.

Governor Rick Snyder this year proposed big increases in the state gasoline tax and vehicle registration fees. He hoped that would raise $1.2 billion dollars year. However, lawmakers from both parties have balked at raising taxes.

At a forum Monday sponsored by Disability Advocates of Kent County, State Rep. Tom Hooker, (R) Byron Center, said voters are "saying 'don't raise my taxes don't raise my fees find a different way. Well when you start looking at doing that, it means cutting something else and that's the difficult part."

State Rep. Ken Yonker, (R) Caledonia, said he's hearing the same from his constituents. "We don't like the roads but don't hike my taxes so no one wants to pay for what we have to use."

State Senator Mark Jansen, (R) Kent County, said one plan under consideration is earmarking all of the state gas tax money for road improvements, then increasing the sales tax one percent with that new revenue going to schools and local governments.

Jansen isn't convinced yet that's the best solution. "That's getting traction but still very difficult for most of us to accept" Jansen said.