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Gov. Christie Holds Town Hall As Legislators Grapple With Budget, Public Worker Pensions

FAIR LAWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was met by a rowdy crowd at his latest town hall event and a handful of protesters have been escorted out after refusing to stop singing about being sent to Auschwitz.

It appears to be the first time people have been asked to leave by police at a Christie town hall.

The public event Wednesday is being held at the Fair Lawn Community Center.

Christie was also frequently booed and applauded during his speech.

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The governor said in response: "So this is what democracy looks like, and sounds like, and feels like."

The protests come as the Legislature is scheduled to take up a controversial measure to require public workers to pay more for their pension and health care benefits.

The Senate passed the bill on Monday as public workers protested loudly on the street outside.

Meanwhile, lawmakers have only eight days left to send a new state budget to Christie's desk. The Republican governor's $29.4 billion budget proposal has largely been set aside as lawmakers grappled with the benefits reform issue.

What do you think of Gov. Christie? Sound off in our comments section below…

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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