With a deadline only two days away, top Mississippi lawmakers are still arguing over what should be in a state budget blueprint.

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee met for several hours Wednesday but showed little progress.

The seven House members on the committee are pushing for full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, while the six senators and Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck say the House plan would shortchange other state services, from Medicaid to prisons.

On Wednesday, House members proposed allowing each side list its recommendations without producing a joint report.

Sen. Terry Burton, R-Newton, said that was a bad idea that would create two conflicting reports. He said the Budget Committee needs a unified plan.

‘‘I don’t see how you turn a negative into a positive by agreeing to disagree,’’ he said.

Burton said that if each side were to list its own priorities, some items that haven’t been publicly discussed might be construed as recommendations. House Appropriations Chairman Johnny Stringer, D-Montrose, said that wouldn’t bother him.

‘‘You can put your telephone number in there, as far as I care,’’ Stringer told Burton.

After a show of hands, the committee rejected the idea of listing separate House and Senate recommendations.

State law sets a Dec. 15 deadline for the Budget Committee to adopt a recommended state spending plan. The entire 122-member House and 52-member Senate will get to debate detailed budget proposals once the three-month legislative session starts on Jan. 2.

The blueprint from the Joint Legislative Budget Committee is generally just a starting point for the session’s budget talks. Gov. Haley Barbour submitted his proposed budget in November.

A final budget must be adopted by early April, and a new state budget year starts July 1.

The Budget Committee met two weeks ago but broke off talks when the opposing sides appeared unlikely to compromise.

Lawmakers are under extra pressure with this budget because 2007 is an election year, and most House and Senate members are seeking new terms.