GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - On Jan. 13, state lawmakers will return to Denver for what many are calling the toughest year yet for state government. Grand Valley legislators weigh in on what lies ahead.

After seven months off, it's back to the State Capitol and back to work for state lawmakers, and they say a lot of work will be waiting for them.

"We'll have the ability to turn this state around," says State Representative Steve King (R) of Grand Junction. "But we have a number of challenges ahead of us."

"I think the budget will override all bills and all legislation," says State Representative Laura Bradford (R) of Collbran.

With the downturn in the economy and subsequent downturn in state revenues, lawmakers will be faced with shoring up a projected $1 billion shortfall for the 2010 - 2011 fiscal year. Grand Valley lawmakers say that means hard decisions lie ahead for them and their colleagues, even tougher decisions than they had to make last year.

"You know, terminate some employees," says State Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry (R) of Grand Junction. "That's an unfortunate reality that you have to do that, but every business is doing that."

"We have to make some tough cuts, possibly look for additional revenue by enforcing existing laws," says Bradford. "I wouldn't personally be for tax increases in a recession, but we have to get this budget under control and balanced."

Bradford, King, and Penry say they will personally fight to protect funding for higher education and public safety, but they expect the ultimate balancing of the budget to come with heated partisan debate.

"We're going to have those philosophical fights," says King. "And maybe more so this session because the money isn't there."

"There's going to be big disagreements, inevitably there will be," says Penry. "But hopefully we'll be able to work together on a handful of issues and turn the dial and make some progress."

One such issue where leaders believe that can be the case, the rapid growth of medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.

"It's the wild, wild west as far as that's concerned," says King. "There aren't any rules."

"Either something is amiss or there's been a huge increase in the incidents of glaucoma," says Penry. "I mean, it really is out of control over there. Something needs to be done."

Penry says leaders in both parties are already working together on ideas such as setting up a liquor board-like system to regulate the industry, and asking voters to repeal the measure they passed that legalized dispensaries in the first place.

"Nobody likes where it's headed and we've go to go in and make a thoughtful fix," says Penry.

But leaders say with an election looming later this year, don't expect bi-partisanship to be rooted in most of their efforts.

"There are bills that are going to be brought forth with not so much the purpose of getting the bill passed, as it is to make a party vote for or against an issue," says Bradford. "That way, they're on the record and can use that later on."

They say at the end of the day, they'll do what they think is best for the people of Colorado.

"It's that idea that politicians think about the next election and statesmen think about the next generation," says King. "We need to look to that next generation of Coloradans to leave them in a better position than we're in right now."