NYC agencies directed to trim their budgets

Get ready to break out the budget ax — again.

That’s what city Budget Director Mark Page on Wednesday warned agency heads they’d have to do if the state can’t help New York City fill a $600 million budget gap.

Since Albany lawmakers are wrangling over the state budget and it’s still unclear what if any aid the city could get, all agencies must take part in the 10th round of cuts since March 2007. They must slice their budgets by 4 percent, although the police, fire, correction, sanitation and education departments can keep the trims to 2 percent.

Their proposals are due by March 24. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to deliver his final 2012 fiscal year budget some time this spring.