Carroll, TerrenceHouse Speaker Terrance Carroll offers up a gruesome analogy when talking about the 2010 state legislative session, which begins Wednesday.

“We’re cutting past the bone. We’re cutting bone marrow,” the Denver Democrat (pictured) tells the Associated Press, referring to a $1.5 billion budget gap. “Bone marrow is where the body gets immunity. You limit the body’s ability to heal itself. But we have to go there.”

Lawmakers are expected to look at everything from school budgets to tax credits in the upcoming session, as well as, according to Longmont’s Daily Times-Call, proposals to foster job creation.

Lawmakers were active over the weekend in the editorial pages. State Senate Republican leader Josh Penry says his party, which is the minority in both houses, wants a year of “do no harm” (via The Pueblo Chieftain). Two more state conservative legislators, Greg Brophy and Amy Stephens, joined forces to write that Republicans will fight higher taxes and fees (via The Denver Post).

Meanwhile, Carroll and fellow Dem Brandon Shaffer note that Democrats aim to help Colorado families (also via the Post). And The Durango Herald provides a must-read list of lawmakers to watch in the 120-day session.