TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie's message to Democrats today was clear: Make state workers pay more for health benefits or be the reason thousands of residents don't get more property tax relief.

With cuts and increases scattered all over his proposed budget, Christie opted to tie two of the most controversial and consequential pieces together, declaring one could not be had without the other — and heating up the finger pointing on one of the hottest election-year issues.

"Let me be clear: The chance for middle-class taxpayers and seniors to receive double the property tax relief without raising taxes on anyone else is solely up to you, the Legislature," Christie said during his budget speech.

Under Christie’s $29.4 billion budget, lawmakers must make state workers pay 30 percent of their health care costs, or he will not advance a proposal to double property tax relief for seniors, the disabled and households making less than $75,000.

• N.J. BUDGET IN BRIEF

Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver said they’re not going to jump when Christie commands.

"Ultimatums don’t work," said Sweeney, who announced his own health benefits reform proposal this month and called for approval by March.

Property taxes rose in all but 60 municipalities last year, most by more than 3 percent, and Christie has already said he doesn’t expect his 2 percent cap to be fully realized this year. Local taxes are likely to be one of the biggest political fights this year.

"I imagine the governor and the Republicans are going to blame the Democrats for property tax increases no matter what," said Rider University political science profess Ben Dworkin. "It will certainly be another excuse, but it’s one of many, including the tool kit and everything else."

Democrats engage in their own finger-pointing for property tax increases, blaming Christie’s cuts in municipal and education aid last year. Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) characterized Christie’s demands as class warfare.

"The governor’s priorities of fighting for dead millionaires over living property tax payers is the wrong one," said Cryan, referring to the governor’s proposal to add exemptions to the estate tax. "This is about property taxpayers, who we’re fighting for, about folks who needs jobs and folks who want to see the economy improve. And instead what the governor took today was this opportunity to divide people, to play people against one another."

Christie’s office refuted claims they’re making state employees out to be the enemy or starting class warfare.

"Leave it to Joe Cryan to contort something positive in such a way," Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak said.

Local leaders, meanwhile, were confounded by Christie’s caveat.

"I feel like a pawn on a chessboard and it’s an uncomfortable feeling," said Bill Dressel, executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities. "I have never seen legislative horse-trading in such a transparent fashion. You think of these things happening behind the scenes but never have I seen it in such a public forum ... It absolutely puts the taxpayer in the middle because the stakes are so high."

By Ginger Gibson and Matt Friedman/Statehouse Bureau

Staff writer Sue Livio contributed to this report.

Previous coverage:

• Gov. Christie delivers budget address to N.J. Legislature - live coverage

• State aid for N.J. municipalities to remain flat under Christie's proposed budget

• Gov. Christie to beef up state aid for schools by $250M, sources say

• Gov. Christie's budget to include $200M in business tax cuts

• Gov. Christie plans $300M spending cut to Medicaid through shift to managed care

• N.J. Democrats to be more aggressive against cuts to schools, social services in Gov. Christie's 2011 budget