Gov. Bredesen yesterday outlined his proposal to cut the state budget by $468 million. Here's a summary:

• BEP fully funded, with an increase of $59 million for the inflationary costs for both pre-K and the traditional K-12 system. No new pre-K classrooms or BEP expansion, savings $109 million. Every teacher and every classroom is funded, with inflation.

• Higher education cut $56 million (4.1%). UT and the Board of Regents will oversee budget cuts without raising tuitions.

• Forgoing $35 million addition to rainy day fund, eliminating planned $80 million TennCare expansion for a new medically needy program.

• $229 million in reversions back to general fund from departments.

• No state employee salary increases. Reduction of workforce by 5%, approx. 2000 people. Voluntary reductions through buyout program, funded by one-time expenditure of $50 million from reserve funds. Only offered to employees whose department head has committed to permanent reductions. If buyouts do not achieve the necessary reductions there will be layoffs this summer.

The Governor's office says the proposal protects pre-K-12 education and that cuts are based on "asking for no new taxes, matching recurring revenues to recurring expenditures to ensure long-term financial stability, and preserving the state’s Rainy Day fund to ensure the state can weather an economic downturn of undetermined length."