NEW YORK, NY December 11, 2006 —Tens of thousands of New Jersey's teachers and state workers are expected to converge on Trenton today. They're protesting the legislature's efforts to reign in the costs of the public pension plans. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

The planned protest left several school districts so short handed they closed for the day. But even before today's lunch time rally in front of the state house, the teachers won a short term victory. Late last week, Governor Jon Corzine got legislative leaders to drop from today's agenda of bills slated for a vote the most controversial pension changes.

Corzine said the pension reforms were not under the purview of the legislature, but could only be achieved at the bargaining table with the unions. Legislators had been working on the pension issues since the summer as part of a broader effort to reduce costs and reduce the state's ever escalating property taxes after Governor Corzine challenged them to be more bold.

New Jersey's Legislature votes today on the creation of an independent Comptroller and a bill that would give the state's 21 school superintendents more control over the state's 6OO local school districts.