Midway through the session, lawmakers and the governor have agreed to more than $9 billion in spending. That leaves only $676 million to fund tax cuts, transportation, growth in education and other budget requests.

It's going to be a fight, says Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, the Senate's budget chief. There's not enough money to fund all budget requests.

That means funding a yet-to-be decided tax cut, $250 million to pay off Centennial Highway Fund debt, $83.5 million for state employee pay raises and $157 million for student growth are still on the table.

And those are just the big-ticket items. Bills with fiscal notes have yet to be funded — and won't be until they are debated before the Executive Appropriations Committee, comprised of leaders from both parties. One example: A bill that would give $1.5 million to the Utah Department of Transportation to fund a study of new east-west highways in Salt Lake County.

The bill has passed the House, but it may ultimately fail if there isn't enough money to pay for it.

"It's like building a corral and 55 head of cattle want to get in, and you've only got room for 25," Hillyard said. "It's tough. It's going to be very difficult."

On Monday, various appropriations subcommittees met to discuss and make a list of their budget priorities for different state agencies such as Health and Human Services, which wants 8 percent of the state's $1.6 billion surplus. That request and other priorities will be vetted before the Legislature's Executive Appropriations Committee on Wednesday and Thursday.

Next week, either on Monday or Tuesday, the state will release its new revenue estimates, which could mean more adjustments to budget requests.

Here's a few of the top budget priorities still on the table for debate:

Taxes:

House Republicans want $300 million in tax cuts. Senate Republicans want half that much, $150 million. And Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. allowed his proposed $100 million income-tax cut to grow to $110 million.

Like last year, the House and the Senate — and the governor, who can always veto a plan he doesn't like — likely will be debating what taxes should be cut and by how much until the final hours of the session.

So far, the House has passed a bill slicing locally imposed, so-called "boutique" taxes off food purchases. And a bill reflecting the governor's complicated plan to encourage more Utahns to switch to a flat income tax option has surfaced in the Senate.