Top Christie Port Authority appointees devised toll-hike plan ...

[cpzilliacus]

Bergen Record:  Top Christie Port Authority appointees devised toll-hike plan to bolster image of NJ, NY governors

Years before they resigned amid a scandal over politically motivated lane closures at the George Washington Bridge, Governor Christie's top two executives at the Port Authority led a secretive campaign to quickly push through controversial toll hikes on the Hudson River bridges and tunnels by drowning out criticism, limiting public input and portraying the governors of New York and New Jersey as fiscal hawks who reined in an out-of-control agency.

At its heart was a plan to have the Port Authority, an independent bi-state agency, propose an enormous toll hike – a $6 increase that would bring the E-ZPass toll to $14 by 2014 – so that the governors could then scale it back. The smaller increases that were ultimately approved in 2011 – $4.50 over four years – allowed both governors to claim credit while they set the stage for each state to claim hundreds of millions of dollars to fund pet projects not directly related to the Port Authority.

It was a sleight of hand that began with a campaign-style operation that, according to interviews with more than a half-dozen people familiar with the operation, was run out of a conference room on the southwest corner of the 15th floor of the Port Authority's Manhattan headquarters.

[Pete from Boston]

I read this article earlier and could only shrug and think, that's pretty much how people expect these things happen.  Find me someone with a high image of the Port Authority and I'll show you someone with profit interests tied to the Port Authority.

[hbelkins]

Nothing to see here, move along, business as usual.

Politicians always trump things up and then back off to make themselves look better. Whether it's a 10 percent budget cut becoming a 5 percent cut, or a 2 percent tax increase becoming a 0.75 percent increase -- or an electricity company asking for a $3 million rate increase before the Public Service Commission when they really want a $1 million increase -- this is the way things are typically done.

[Duke87]

Yeah, this is kind of a non-story. It's typical practice. Methinks some news outlets are just trying to restoke the previous scandal which people have already stopped caring about.

[NE2]

Yeah, this is kind of a non-story. It's typical practice. Methinks some news outlets are just trying to restoke the previous scandal which people have already stopped caring about.

BENGHAZI!

[cpzilliacus]

Nothing to see here, move along, business as usual.

Politicians always trump things up and then back off to make themselves look better. Whether it's a 10 percent budget cut becoming a 5 percent cut, or a 2 percent tax increase becoming a 0.75 percent increase -- or an electricity company asking for a $3 million rate increase before the Public Service Commission when they really want a $1 million increase -- this is the way things are typically done.

Wish there were more honesty on all such matters - but it does not help matters that more than a few elected officials defer toll increases way beyond reason (MdTA delayed increases and had to make things up with a big increase recently). 

I have seen the syndrome with motor fuel taxes and mass transit fare increases - and in the case of transit, matters are often made more-toxic because transit employee unions are expert at demanding (and getting) generous wage and benefit increases even as transit agency revenues are static or declining.

[Pete from Boston]

This was discussed before Christiegate when the AAA sued over these machinations around the toll increases.  If I recall correctly, the courts said the Port Authority wasn't obliged to conduct any particular kind of process.

[SteveG1988]

It sounds like they are fishing for any type of story regarding the governor, hoping to have the next big scoop.

[PHLBOS]

It sounds like they are fishing for any type of story regarding the governor, hoping to have the next big scoop.

One problem w/doing such in this particular case is the agency in question is a Bi-state one; meaning that such a plan would need to be okayed/approved/agreed upon by the Governor of New York (Cuomo) as well.

Silence from Albany can be interpreted as approval of PANYNJ's toll-hike plan from the NY side of the Hudson.

[jeffandnicole]

Yeah, this is kind of a non-story. It's typical practice. Methinks some news outlets are just trying to restoke the previous scandal which people have already stopped caring about.

BENGHAZI!

It sounds like they are fishing for any type of story regarding the governor, hoping to have the next big scoop.

Hmmmmmmmmm.....

A while back I wrote a post saying, basically, that the media is fishing for anything that casts a negative light on Governor Christie.  I was chastised for that comment for not having any proof.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11092.msg264511#msg264511

Now, the issues are just magnified even more.  Heck, in this latest development of the PANYNJ, most stories don't even mention NY's governor.

[Zeffy]

I'm not sure what the infatuation with everyone is with Governor Christie. Is it because he's a Republican, and Trenton itself is Democrat? Or do people like to poke fun of his weight problems still, which have vastly gotten better? I'm fairly confident that New Jersey hasn't gotten worse under his leadership. *

*Excludes obvious problems of Trenton, Camden, Newark, etc.

[jeffandnicole]

I'm not sure what the infatuation with everyone is with Governor Christie. Is it because he's a Republican, and Trenton itself is Democrat? Or do people like to poke fun of his weight problems still, which have vastly gotten better? I'm fairly confident that New Jersey hasn't gotten worse under his leadership. *

*Excludes obvious problems of Trenton, Camden, Newark, etc.

I think, like in many cases, those with negative opinions like to shout their thoughts to anyone that listens.  They are not of the popular opinion however, as he was easily re-elected to a 2nd term.

[english si]

I'm not sure what the infatuation with everyone is with Governor Christie.

Something to do with people seeing him as front running for the 2016 GOP nomination, perhaps?

[agentsteel53]

I'm not sure what the infatuation with everyone is with Governor Christie.

Something to do with people seeing him as front running for the 2016 GOP nomination, perhaps?

isn't that circular reasoning?  what's the GOP's infatuation with him?

[Pete from Boston]

I'm not sure what the infatuation with everyone is with Governor Christie.

Something to do with people seeing him as front running for the 2016 GOP nomination, perhaps?

He has kind of a reputation for being a no-nonsense unapologetic straight-shooter among his supporters, and for being a petulant bully among his detractors.  What I think we're seeing is the backlog of backlash among the latter.  This is a guy notorious for nastily telling off even ordinary NJ citizens without regret or restraint.  Keep that up long enough, and the world starts getting a little crowded with people who have bitter memories, waiting for their chance.

[english si]

isn't that circular reasoning?

Somewhat.

I'm not sure the GOP feels he is a front runner, but the fear of those attacking him for looking like a front runner will help give him credibility and support as a front runner. Sort of a self-fulfilling prophesy. Providing the attacks miss, of course!

[Alps]

infatuation

That's just... funny.