The Arizona Legislature approved budget bills trimming the state’s $2 billion deficit by about $452 million Monday afternoon, with measures including $144 million in cuts to the K-12 system and $155 million in cuts to the Department of Economic Security.

The passage of the bills ended a three-day special session aimed at helping close the shortfall for the 2010 fiscal year. Legislators voted mostly along party lines, with Democrats almost uniformly opposed to cuts that they said put too much stress on the state’s K-12 system.

“We need a bipartisan approach to the budget, and it cannot target our teachers, our students and our schools,” said Rep. Daniel Patterson, D-Tucson.

Patterson was part of a chorus of Democratic legislators opposing the bills and complained about what the group said is a lack of bipartisan negotiation, saying their list of budget alternatives, including broadening the tax base, was never seriously considered by Republican leadership.

The measures passed on Monday also included about $200 million in agency fund sweeps and $100 million in additional revenue.

The bills’ passage was applauded by Gov. Jan Brewer, who said it was a necessary step toward balancing the state budget.

“Budget cuts are absolutely necessary, and to suggest anything different is simply unrealistic,” Brewer said in a statement.

The Legislature is scheduled to meet in December for another special session to vote on Brewer’s proposed sales tax referral.