You think that putting together a state budget is a matter of simple common sense? Fine, then The Star-Ledger is now going to let you build a budget that is entirely clean of political influence, with a few clicks of your mouse.

Turns out it's not so easy. Want to cut income taxes? Well, that means you have less money for things like property tax relief. How about spending less on the Department of Environmental Protection? That might also allow gas stations to leak more fuel into protected wetlands. Want to do more to fight poverty, provide health care and improve parks? Then which tax would you hike?

In The Star-Ledger's online Budget Game, there is only one rule: The budget must be balanced, as the state Constitution requires. To play, just click on the PLAY GAME button above.

Gov. Chris Christie has proposed a $29.4 billion budget that slightly reduces state spending, though only because of a gimmick that moves $500 million in spending from next year's budget to the current budget. Without that stunt, his budget would show a small increase.

The main fight is likely to center on health care. The governor wants to cut $540 million from the Medicaid program, which covers the poor and the elderly in nursing homes. You can't cut a sum like that without hurting vulnerable people, and legislators have been frustrated so far by the lack of details.

Some Democrats want to increase the tax rate on incomes above $1 million. But everyone knows Christie will veto that, and Democrats don't have the votes for an override. So that move is mostly symbolic. At this stage, Democrats have no alternative budget — hearings are still under way.

So what would you do? In this online Budget Game, you make the decisions on spending and taxing, and the game will do the math — and keep you honest.

Now, go ahead and give it a try.