LOVELAND - Job creation and the economy are the top priorities for the Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance in the session of the Colorado Legislature that officially begins Wednesday.

Northern Colorado legislators and business boosters gathered Tuesday morning to discuss the NCLA's 2009 agenda. Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-District 13, and Reps. Randy Fisher, D-District 53, Kevin Lundberg, R-District 49, and Glenn Vadd, R-District 48 were in attendance. The NLCA is the public policy advocacy effort of the Fort Collins, Greeley and Loveland chambers of commerce and the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corp.

The agenda focuses on five major themes -- job creation/preservation and workforce issues; transportation; energy; health care; and water issues.

The group specifically plans to advocate for the maximum amount of funding that could become available under a federal economic stimulus package as a way to increase employment in the construction industry and to improve the region's transportation.

"Whether you agree with (a potential stimulus package) or not, we need to take advantage of it," said NCLA board member Tom Norton, owner of TEN LLC in Greeley.

The NCLA agenda will also stress support of new energy sources as well as traditional ones. The group will oppose initiatives that would benefit one energy sector at the expense of another.

In the health-care arena, the NCLA will take a defensive stance and is prepared to oppose reforms that put in place insurance mandates.

"We believe health-care reform will be and should be dealt with at the federal level," said Mark Weaver, vice chair of the NCLA and general manager of Employer Solutions Group in Loveland. The legislators generally echoed the sentiment.

The agenda for 2009 will also focus on support for a number of proposed water projects in the region, including the Northern Integrated Supply Project, the Halligan-Seaman Reservoir Project and the Windy Gap Firming Project.