Pa. lawmakers want to restrain DRPA
Seventeen Pennsylvania legislators have introduced a bill to prevent the Delaware River Port Authority from spending bridge toll money and PATCO High-Speed Line fares on "economic development" projects.
Seventeen Pennsylvania legislators have introduced a bill to prevent the Delaware River Port Authority from spending bridge toll money and PATCO High-Speed Line fares on "economic development" projects.
Commuters have long complained about the use of toll revenue for such projects as sports stadiums, museums, and concert halls on both sides of the river.
The bill, introduced by State Rep. Paul Clymer (R., Bucks) and 16 cosponsors, would amend the charter of the bi-state DRPA to prohibit the use of revenue from bridge tolls and train fares "for economic projects that do not pertain to maintenance of bridges, roads and rail lines under the jurisdiction of the commission."
State Sen. John Rafferty (R., Chester) said he would introduce a similar bill next week because "the DRPA has lost its way from what it was founded for."
On the New Jersey side of the river, Assemblyman Scott Rudder (R., Burlington) has said he is interested in introducing similar legislation.
"The money that is the revenue from tolls and fares should not be used for special projects for Gov. Rendell and Gov. Corzine," Clymer said yesterday. "In these economic times, we're looking for ways to keep costs down. The idea is to allow consumers to keep more money in their pockets."
Clymer's bill, H.B. 1124, cosponsored by 14 Republicans and two Democrats, was introduced Thursday and referred to the Transportation Committee.
The Republican-led effort to change the charter faces tough sledding, since Democrats control both houses in the New Jersey legislature, one house in Pennsylvania, and both governorships. Rendell, as Pennsylvania governor, is chairman of the DRPA.
A charter change requires approval of both legislatures, the governors, Congress and the president.
That last happened in 1992, when the DRPA's charter was amended to permit economic-development spending and to extend the agency's area of responsibility to Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties.
Since then, the DRPA has appropriated more than $375 million for such development projects as Lincoln Financial Field, the Kimmel Center, the National Constitution Center, Campbell's Field, a soccer stadium complex on the Chester waterfront, and the National Museum of American Jewish History.
Last month, the DRPA voted to give $11 million to six more development projects in Camden and Philadelphia, including $3.5 million for a President's House memorial near Independence Hall.
DRPA officials said economic-development spending improves the quality of life in Philadelphia, Camden, and other local communities and boosts use of the bridges and PATCO trains.
When the DRPA increased tolls on its four Delaware River bridges last summer to $4, the board promised it would not use the new revenue for economic development. But it said that about $35 million remaining from previous borrowing could be used for such spending.
