When Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Gov. Chris Christie vetoed legislation to overhaul the Port Authority late last year, they embraced their own blueprint for reform. Part of that plan called for the resignations of all eleven Port Authority commissioners, but as Zack Fink reports, those officials say they have no plans to step aside.
When they vetoed Port Authority reform legislation over Christmas weekend in December, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vowed to overhaul the bi-state agency themselves.
A key component of that plan was calling for the resignations of the Port Authority's commissioners. But now, the commissioners themselves are reluctant to comply.
"That was part of the special panel recommendation. I've had second thoughts about it. I think it was improvident,” said Port Authority Chairman John Degnan.
The need for reform comes in the wake of the Bridgegate scandal of 2013, when access lanes to the George Washington bridge were blocked leading to a major traffic jam. Whether those lanes were blocked intentionally as part of a revenge scheme by Governor Christie is now the subject of a federal criminal probe. The Port Authority operates the bridge.
Degnan was appointed chairman of the Authority last year.
"If Gov. Christie came to me tomorrow and said, 'John I'm troubled by a position you have taken on public policy or the way in which you are chairing the board,' I would consider his request to resign,” said Degnan.
"When we were contemplating it, it was under the context of, 'It's a new day, it's demarcation.’ We want to make sure we have 100 percent buy in. And by the way, the vast majority of the Commissioners are all relatively new commissioners,” said Port Authority Vice Chairman Scott Rechler.
But in fact, nine of the eleven commissioners were at the Port Authority when Bridgegate unfolded, which is why some believe cleaning house is necessary.
"This panel was appointed by the governors. It was representatives of the Port Authority. There are no public members of the special panel. There were no hearings that the special panel held, so there was a lack of a public process,” said Citizens Union’s Rachel Fauss.
Legislators in both states don't seem to put a lot of stock in the reform plan put forth by the governors. In New Jersey, lawmakers are looking to override Governor Christie's veto, and in New York lawmakers are once again moving the reform bill in the new legislative session which began in January.