New York City agencies are being told to cut expenses by 12 percent as Mayor Michael Bloomberg tries to bridge next year’s multibillion-dollar deficit.

Budget director Mark Page says in a letter to agency heads that they must come up with savings totaling $1.75 billion.

Uniformed agencies, like fire and police, are spared a bit — they must cut 6 percent. Education has to cut 5.5 percent.

The mayor was just re-elected this month to a third term.

He had been barred from seeking a third term but persuaded the City Council to change the law last year. He argued that the city needed his expertise to get through the economic downturn.