Several state lawmakers working with Gov. Bill Richardson to balance this year’s state budget shortfall said Tuesday that the governor’s suggestions were a good first step.

Among other things, Richardson has proposed diverting cash meant for brick-and-mortar projects and cutting agencies by 3 percent to help close a projected $441 budget gap for the year that ends June 30. He also wants to use $91 million in federal stimulus dollars to prevent cuts to public school spending.

Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and other members of the group working on a budget plan said  in a press release that minimizing cuts to public schools’ budgets is a worthy goal. But because public and higher education constitute about 60 percent of the state budget, trimming education dollars must remain on the table.

“The remaining 40 percent of the state budget, which includes public safety and health care programs, cannot realistically be expected to solely bear the burden of across-the-board budget cuts,” Smith said in the release.

Rep. Luciano “Lucky” Varela, D-Santa Fe, and chairman of the Legislative Finance Committee, said that members believed the governor’s plan left too many difficult decisions for future budget years.  Some members continued to express concern about what they believe is a slow economic recovery.

Sen. Steven P. Neville, a Republican from San Juan County, pointed to the weak natural gas market as a particular drag on government finances.

New Mexico derives a sizable chunk of its revenue from so-called severance taxes on natural resources such as natural gas. New Mexico is one of the largest producers of natural gas in the country.