By David Madden

TRENTON, Nj. (CBS) — With a little more than two weeks to come to terms on a budget in New Jersey it appears the main battle in Trenton will center on whether to cut taxes, and if so, how to do it.

Despite lower than expected revenues, Governor Chris Christie wants taxes cut, and says he won’t sign a budget without one.

Newly released federal job numbers for the month of May prompt the Governor to suggest his economic optimism is more than just a dream.

“New Jersey grew 17,600 jobs,” said Christie. “That is 25% of all the jobs created in America last month.”

And that’s because of the state’s work to reduce spending and promote private sector employment.

Christie insists a tax cut will only fuel New Jersey’s economic recovery and believes Democrats, particularly in the Assembly, are just playing politics with the idea.

“I don’t know what we could do to convince these Democrats who root against our state for their own partisan purposes to stop,” he said. “But maybe this will convince them.”

Word is legislative Democrats have come up with a compromise on a budget and tax cuts, but they’re not ready to discuss it in public yet.