PANYNJ ED Shorris a casualty of Gov Spitzer's whoring (PERSONNEL)

Elliot Spitzer's man at the Port Authority NYNJ, Executive Director Anthony Shorris has been sent packing by the new Governor David Paterson in a familiar game of political musical chairs. He handed in his "resignation" today as gubernatorial aides said his likely replacement is Christopher O Ward. Ward, 54, is presently head of a contractors New York lobby group but has held senior jobs in a stevedoring company, and headed the City's department of environmental protection under Mayor Bloomberg.

Ward worked previously at the PANYNJ as a project manager and community relations man 1997-2002. On Sept 11 2001 he got out of 1 World Trade Center just in time being close enough to the building when it fell to be engulfed in clouds of dense dust.

PANYNJ is a bistate agency with equal numbers of commissioners appointed by the governors of New York and New Jersey. Growing out of the Port of New York Authority tradition has it that the CEO is appointed by the governor of New York and serves at his "pleasure." The Authority runs the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels and three Staten Island-NJ toll bridges. It also runs rail trains from Manhattan to the NJ suburbs and airports and ports, and dabbles in real estate.

TOLLROADSnews 2008-04-17