If there’s anyone who thinks Christopher Christie and Andrew Cuomo were unaware of the Port Authority’s plan to massively hike bridge and tunnel tolls, I have a bridge to sell you, and it isn’t the Bayonne Bridge.
As governors of their respective states, Christie and Cuomo oversee the Port Authority, and while both have come out against the proposed increases, both should be up for Oscars for their acting abilities. This is particularly true of Christie, who is the ultimate micro-manager, even to the extent of sticking his nose in the impending Hoboken University Hospital sale.
“This governor knows about everything,” according one source with knowledge of the situation. “Nothing goes on in this state that he is unaware of.”
Union City Mayor/State Sen. Brian Stack and Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer were very late in responding to the hikes – especially in Hoboken, where Zimmer’s base will be heavily impacted by increased PATH charges. Both mayors, allies of Christie, clearly waited to see what the governor would say and did not want to upstage his performance.
Most see the Port Authority’s large increases as an effort to shock the public and local officials with a ludicrous suggestion, so that they can reduce objections to smaller increases that will come as a “compromise.”
Nobody should be too shocked about the request, since the Port Authority has been spending money hand over fist, throwing around millions and billions of dollars like confetti. The billions paid or promised to raise the Bayonne Bridge, the purchase of a portion of the Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne, and the recent purchases of property under Global Terminals and sections of waterfront in the Greenville area of Jersey City all should have suggested a massive hike of some kind.
Add to this the expense of building and populating the Freedom Tower, the replacement for the World Trade Center Towers. Most people won’t remember the trouble the Port Authority had in leasing the original Twin Towers, which took years and early on required significant incentives to would-be tenants. The new tower is apparently running into similar issues and the Port Authority is asking the public to pay for it.
Christie, of course, had to be aware of the proposed hikes, but for political purposes pretends that he knew nothing, while Cuomo gets to play White Knight and cast back the demon of massive increases.
The fact that the Port Authority released this fare and toll hike near the 10th anniversary of 9/11 reeks of manipulation, trying to play off the fondness many felt for the heroic acts performed by PA employees on that day.
Before that, the PA had a poor reputation locally, especially for maintaining property that it owned. The 1993 battle for control of Pier A in Hoboken, which the PA was supposed to have maintained and did not, testified to this. So did the adverse reaction from the public in Bayonne when the PA attempted to take over the MOTBY just after the base closed in the mid 1990s.
Health insurance is the new patronage
Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop – forced to abide by questionable City Council legislation that requires him to wait six months to reintroduce resolutions the council has voted down – has returned with his effort to strip political appointees of paid health benefits.
The history of health insurance is a curious one. Established in the mid-20th century, employers once used it to lure prospective employees to their companies. Now, employees are desperate to find jobs that come with health benefits.
What is outrageous about patronage jobs coming with benefits is that many of the regular employees of the city are being forced to give back some of their perks. In opposing the ordinance, the City Council is thumbing their nose at all those city employees who have to shell out more and more cash to cover health costs. This issue will be a winner for Fulop when many more of those workers come onto his side in the voting booth.
Can you say ‘Mayor Gallo?’
Several people claim they received a telephone poll in Bayonne asking what their thoughts might be about city business administrator Steve Gallo becoming mayor.
This is part of ongoing speculation as to whether or not Mayor Mark Smith will step down for another post in October.
One rumor suggested he would be taking a position with the Port Authority, but inside sources claim Smith won’t be going there. Still, the rumor is spreading like wild fire, despite Smith’s continued denials.
One official blamed former Mayor Joseph Doria for the problem.
“He did it by going to the DCA, now everybody thinks Mayor Smith will leave, too, but he’s not leaving,” this official said. “Mayor Smith has things he wants to accomplish. He’s staying here to make sure he gets them done.”
Sheriff’s department tiff splits county Democrats
Although they’re sharp opponents at other times, Mayor Stack is apparently aligned with North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco in a dispute over Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari. Apparently, political divisions are brewing in the sheriff’s department over titles and promotions that could break out into open hostilities as political leaders are forced to take sides.
“This is going to be a real mess,” said one insider.