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Republican Governor Chris Christie and Senate Democratic leaders are locked in a constitutional battle over the political balance and future independence of the New Jersey Supreme Court — one that threatens to leave the once-proud high court two justices short all the way through next year’s gubernatorial election.

To Governor Chris Christie, any "10 percent income tax cut" will do — as long as he can sign it into law by July in time for the Republican National Convention in Tampa this summer. And, as he said this week, "if taxes do not get cut this year, it is the responsibility of one group of people and that is the legislative Democrats."  Whether the "legislative Democrats" will give Christie a tax cut he would be willing to sign is an open question.

Property taxes are eating up a larger share of family income under Governor Chris Christie than under previous governors, primarily due to a sharp reduction in direct property tax relief over the past two years. In fact, net property taxes are 20 percent higher under Christie than they were when Democrat Jon Corzine left office two years ago.

New Jersey's Congressional Redistricting Commission will wrap up its new map before Christmas, and it's beginning to look like Congressmen Steve Rothman (D-9) and Scott Garrett (R-5) will be the two getting coal in their stockings.

Democratic Assemblyman in New Jersey Reed Gusciora and Mark Magyar, Rutgers professor and NJSpotlight.com blogger discuss the pension deal announced yesterday by Governor Christie and the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly.