Snyder is scheduled to lay out his proposals to lawmakers at 11 a.m. today, a move that puts concrete numbers on ruminations as to what course the governor is planning for an ailing state. He also is expected to talk about tax reforms, specifically his plan for eliminating the Michigan Business Tax and replacing lost revenues.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of pain in this budget,” said Bill Ballenger, editor and publisher of political newsletter Inside Michigan Politics. “I think there’s going to be some dramatic proposals that are just going to shock people.”

Snyder has called on the Legislature to pass a budget for the 2012 fiscal year to begin in October by May 31. The governor also has stated he wants a two-year budget in place by July 1. A spokeswoman for Snyder did not return calls Wednesday seeking comment on the pending proposals.

Ultimately, the governor’s recommendations are the beginning of a lengthy process, said Ari Adler, spokesman for House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall. The Legislature will take Snyder’s recommendations and craft appropriations bills, but that does not mean the proposals will remain intact.

“We’re anticipating some rather bold moves on the part of the governor,” Adler said. “It is being delivered at a time when bold action is required to address the very serious fiscal situation we are in in this state.”

The Democratic minority in the Senate will pay close attention to the governor’s proposals, said Katie Carey, spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing.

“We’re going to be out there calling and advocating for the areas that we feel are important,” Carey said. “We’re in a wait-and-see mode.”

Already, news reports have swirled with “leaked” information about what will be contained in the governor’s proposals. The Lansing-based Michigan Information & Research Service Inc. reported Tuesday that Snyder will propose a taxation of private pensions.

Gongwer News Service Inc. posted on its Facebook page that Snyder will seek to slash 15 percent from higher education appropriations, a reduction of more than $42 million for MSU.

Gongwer also said the governor will hope to cut $200 million from Michigan’s revenue sharing program. Revenue sharing is a refund paid to cities and municipalities in exchange for the state’s ability to collect gas, sales and other taxes.

But until Snyder releases his recommendations, it is unknown what exactly he is proposing to do, Ballenger said. And despite the Legislature being squarely in the Republican majority, there already are signs of disagreement among lawmakers and Snyder, he said.

“The question is how strongly will he stick to his guns and how strong will the resistance be?” he said. “It’s still a good thing for Snyder that his own party is in control. That doesn’t mean this is going to be a piece of cake.”