TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The debate over public employee pension and health benefits legislation wound up taking so much time that the New Jersey Legislature is under the gun to approve a state budget in nine days.

Public hearings on a budget bill are being penciled in for Monday and final votes tentatively set for June 30 before the bill has been drafted — even before Democrats have firmly decided whether to craft their own budget or tinker within the framework of the $29.4 billion proposal Republican Gov. Chris Christie introduced in February.

"We're not pleased with the budget (Christie proposed)," Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I believe we will try to forge a document that represents our priorities. We're racing the clock here."

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