Plans to drain the remains of the Delaware River Port Authority’s economic development pool by granting nearly $20 million to feed the hungry, give shelter to graduate students and rebuild a rowing course cleared the agency’s finance committee on Wednesday.
But nearly two hours of debate and discussion prior to the 6-1 vote suggests that the proposed awards won’t sail past the full DRPA board of commissioners at their Dec. 14 meeting.
While treading carefully amid a package that includes $2 million to the Food Bank of South Jersey, representatives of Pennsylvania Treasurer Robert McCord and Auditor General Jack Wagner indicated their opposition on the grounds that the awards are not part of the DRPA’s core transportation mission. Both Wagner and McCord — or their designees — are DRPA commissioners by virtue of their elected offices.
McCord — represented via telephone at the meeting by Christopher Craig — cast the lone no vote. Wagner’s usual representative at DRPA meetings, Robert Teplitz, was at the meeting even though he is not a member of the finance committee.
Teplitz argued the board was going against two prior resolutions — passed in 2010 — that stipulated the DRPA would no longer finance economic development projects apart from the operation of four Delaware River bridges and the PATCO High Speed Line. The DRPA spent $300 million in the name of economic development between 2002 and 2009 — equal $150 million allocations for both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Finance Committee Chairman Jeffrey Nash, also a Camden County freeholder, countered that the awards — which include $2 million to Rutgers University toward a graduate student dorm already under construction, $4 million for improvements to the Cooper River rowing course in Pennsauken and $6 million toward a $106 million cancer center at Cooper University Hospital — affirm prior commitments made by the DRPA.
While the DRPA had approved the awards in 2009, contracts were not signed, Nash noted. The awards were frozen by virtue of the 2010 resolutions that said the DRPA was out of the economic development business.
Nash noted the funds proposed to be awarded — all representing New Jersey interests — are equal to what Pennsylvania was awarded in 2007, which was quickly allocated toward plans to deepen the Delaware River channel from 40 to 45 feet.
“To now renege on that agreement is unfair for New Jersey,” Nash argued.
Teplitz — who labeled the proposal an “immaculate conception” by Nash without input — suggested he would embrace a plan to spend the $20 million on PATCO.
“Let’s spend the money on projects that are part of the core mission,” Teplitz asserted. “It is not the responsibility of this agency to ensure that Camden County has a world class regatta.”
He asked Nash for a legal opinion as to the resolution before the finance committee’s apparent violation of language in two prior resolutions. Nash — who said he consulted with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie before finalizing the list — retorted, “We’ve done enough legal analysis on this issue. It’s time to move forward.”
Teplitz again asked for a legal opinion.
“You’re against $2 million for the food bank?” Nash blurted in view of half a dozen welfare agency representatives, all of whom spoke about the dire straits their clients face in time of double-digit unemployment.
Teplitz began to repeat that the proposal was counter to the prior message the commissioners sent in other resolutions.
“Remember that during Christmas,” Nash interrupted.
Pennsylvania Commissioner William Sasso, an attorney, observed that prior DRPA actions regarding economic development policy were “resolutions from a prior board. It’s not law,” he said. “It’s a resolution.”
Pennsylvania Commissioner David Simon, relying on advice that the money in question “could not be directed to reducing the tolls,” suggested the allocation would aid in getting the commissioners past “gridlock” which has hampered its actions in the past.
While the meeting ended with Nash hugging Val Traore, chief executive officer of the Pennsauken-based Food Bank, the committee chair observed that “we get to debate this next Wednesday.”
For the $20 million award to be granted final approval, at least 10 commissioners — five from each state — must concur. There are 16 commissioners — eight from each state.
The resolution also calls for the DRPA to recoup approximately $10 million from the economic development fund to be applied to capital projects in 2012. The $10 million represents cancellation of plans to reopen the long shuttered Franklin Square stop on the PATCO High Speed Line and $3 million allocated for development of Pyne Poynt Park in Camden.