Skip to content
Politics
Link copied to clipboard

Wolf vetoes Parking Authority residency bill, saying agency suffers from 'extensive mismanagement'

Gov. Wolf vetoed a bill Friday that would have allowed up to two Philadelphia Parking Authority board members, a group under fire for their handling of a sexual-assault scandal, to move outside the city.

Gov. Wolf vetoed a bill Friday that would have allowed up to two Philadelphia Parking Authority board members, a group under fire for their handling of a sexual-assault scandal, to move outside the city.

Wolf said recent events had "shined a light on the extensive mismanagement" of the authority and called for legislation focused on reform, not the residency of board members.

"I cannot in good conscience sign a bill that instead of addressing these ongoing issues with the authority allows for current management to remain in place and move outside of the City of Philadelphia," Wolf said in a letter to the House.

The legislation was introduced by State Rep. Scott Petri (R., Bucks), who said he was looking for entities in the suburbs that do business with the authority to have representation on the board. Some questioned if the true force behind the legislation was one or more of the current members looking to leave the city. The six board members serve staggered 10-year terms, meaning turnover is slow.

Petri has said no board members asked him to introduce the bill. After Wolf's veto was announced, he said he stood behind the legislation but was willing to work with the governor's office on further reforms to the authority.

"What [the governor] was saying is, given very recent events, there's more that needs to be done," Petri said. "And I'd agree with that."

Martin O'Rourke, the authority's spokesman, declined to comment on Wolf's letter.

The agency has faced sharp criticism in recent weeks after it became public that the board last year allowed executive director Vincent J. Fenerty Jr. to keep his job despite having sexually harassed a coworker.

The board initially defended the decision. The group took steps to remove Fenerty only when allegations from a second woman - accusations some board members had been told about years before - became public.

The scandal prompted Fenerty's resignation and an impending review of the agency by the state auditor general.

Wolf, in his letter, also lambasted the agency for what he called "repeatedly broken promises," saying the authority has consistently failed to deliver the Philadelphia School District the revenue it has pledged.

Wolf's spokesman, Jeff Sheridan, said the governor wants to see legislation that will reform an agency "shrouded in secrecy and that has had a multitude of problems recently.

"This bill," Sheridan said, "is not that."

tnadolny@phillynews.com

215-854-2730 @TriciaNadolny