SALT LAKE CITY -- State lawmakers planned on cutting jobs, travel and plenty of government programs Thursday after convening for a special session to chop $272 million from the state budget.

Lawmakers passed an $11.6 billion budget in March, but a sluggish economy has left them with less revenue than they expected and they're required by law to balance the budget. A final deal on exactly what will be cut is expected Friday.

Some of the cuts state lawmakers are eyeing include not filling open positions in the Highway Patrol, scaling back arts programs and eliminating a Medicaid program that benefits people whose income exceeds federal limits but that can't afford their medical bills.

"This is a really difficult situation we're in," said Sen. Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake City. "Whose ox gets gored is really the tough thing we have to look at."

Utah's economy has primarily been hampered by a slowdown in the housing and construction industry, according to state economists. While Utah continues to have positive job growth and a relatively low unemployment rate, it has failed to maintain the robust growth state officials expected when they wrote the budget last winter.

The $11.6 billion budget is the largest in state history and was about $776 million more than the previous year's budget.

"Had we known what we know now, last January these programs wouldn't have been built in anyway," said Senate budget chairman Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan.

State agencies are expecting a 3 percent cut across the board, although public education and transportation likely won't be affected -- this year.

Lawmakers expect to make up the majority of the shortfall in education, transportation and some building projects by shifting money from other programs that were only funded for one year, such as pilot programs. That means some agencies will end up with a budget cut larger than 3 percent. Legislative leaders were negotiating where that money would come from in secret Thursday evening.

By using money that won't be available next year to fill some of those budget gaps, lawmakers are only delaying further cuts if the economy doesn't improve.

After 3 percent cuts this year, state agencies could face another 1 percent cut next year while public education would finally have to face the 3 percent cut it will likely escape this time.

"The real problem that we're facing is not this year, it's going to be the January and February session and thank God I'm not here," said retiring Sen. Mike Dmitrich, D-Price. "I think it's going to be very trying at that time."

Still, many government programs will be eliminated or severely reduced under recommendations submitted by state agencies.

Lawmakers said state colleges and universities can expect the same 3 percent budget cuts other state agencies will receive. However, Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, said lawmakers will prohibit schools from raising tuition this year to make up for the shortfall.

State offices have been preparing for the possibility of deep cuts for several months. The governor's office told state agencies this summer to prepare to cut their budgets by as much as 5 percent.

Lawmakers were only reviewing agency recommendations for 3 percent to 4 percent cuts Thursday. Those recommendations include significant cuts in staffing levels and programs to the state's embattled Department of Corrections, which has been skewered in audits for lax oversight that resulted in multiple escapes by state prisoners who were being held in county jails.

The Department of Corrections is proposing to eliminate 47 positions, cutting training and reducing the amount it spends contracting with county jails to house inmates. That money is often spent by counties to maintain and upgrade jails, which state audits said were badly needed in some cases.

The state's criminal justice agencies, including courts, corrections and juvenile justice services, are being particularly hard hit in the personnel departments under the 3 percent proposals.

Of the 198 jobs on the chopping block, 143 of those are under the supervision of the Executive Offices and Criminal Justice appropriations subcommittee.

"That's pretty astonishing, especially when courts and corrections are places where people are the difference," said Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake City. "I'm just amazed that our agencies are having to shoulder essentially all the burden when it comes to the [full-time employees]."

McCoy decried a process endorsed by legislative leaders that calls for 3 percent cuts in every agency, saying there need to be exceptions.

Tom Patterson, executive director of the corrections department, said the state prison system doesn't have many programs it could eliminate, although it is proposing to cut programming for sex offenders, mental health and substance abuse patients.

Rep. Curt Oda, R-Clearfield, said he's worried that when the economy takes a downturn as it currently is, crime increases and that an already short-staffed prison system that's working to improve its safety record is being cut further.

He called the corrections cuts "virtually ridiculous."

"I think we need to make sure that the entire Legislature and executive office understand what the true role of government is supposed to be, and that is to make sure these essential services are maintained," he said. "Without a safe society ... none of the other services we provide means anything."

Among other programs lawmakers are targeting is an $18 million tax cut for self-employed workers who buy their own health insurance that was going to be available in January. Gov. Jon Huntsman opposes making that cut and negotiations on the topic were expected to continue Thursday night. Another $15 million is likely to be cut from state construction projects.

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