Colorado's legislative leaders, not content to leave all the thinking on how to improve the economy to the federal government, announced the creation of a special legislative committee to tackle the job Thursday.

The Committee on Job Creation and Economic Growth will consist of five senators and five representatives looking for ways to help businesses and prepare for any worsening of the economic downturn.

It will hold its first meeting Monday and continue to work throughout the legislative session, which runs through May.

Sen.-elect Rollie Heath, a longtime businessman and committee member, acknowledged the legislature has little funds at its disposal. But it can look for ways to offer job training, build infrastructure and remove roadblocks that impede business growth, the Boulder Democrat said.

"We're nowhere near the bottom (of the economic downturn), and I don't think anybody knows where it is," Heath said. "This is not a time to sit back and wait and let it happen to us. We've got to be proactive."

Colorado has been affected less than most states by the economic problems. It has seen 26 straight months of job growth and is projecting increases in revenues from sales and income taxes in next year's budget.

But Colorado is not immune to the same problems that have increased unemployment and taken down budgets in other states, House Speaker Terrance Carroll said.

So, he and Senate President Peter Groff, a Denver Democrat, appointed lawmakers to the committee and asked them to talk to business and labor leaders and others.

The six Democrats and four Republicans on the committee bring different specialties to the group.

For example, House Transportation and Energy Committee Chairwoman Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo West, said Carroll asked her to focus on how the legislature can help the economy by funding road and bridge construction.

Other members of the committee are less sure about what the group can accomplish. Rep. Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs, said he wants more information on the committee's purpose but added, "It certainly is not the government's job to create and oversee the economy."

Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, said he is interested in talking about how the General Assembly can create a pro-growth, pro-jobs environment. Though his fellow committee members span the political spectrum, Mitchell said he believes everyone can find some agreement in a time of great worry.

"You can be a high-tax, high-regulation state with onerous labor policies that make it expensive and onerous to do business or you can put out the welcome mat for business," Mitchell said.