perks

Patrick Foye, chief executive at the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) says the law suits by their pensioners to maintain lifetime toll-free privileges are "offensive." Playing hardball he has asked New York and New Jersey tax agencies to investigate whether the pensioners owe the two states taxes on the value of these "perks." And whether they should be charged interest and tax penalties for failing to declare their taxable value.

Michael Fleischer executive director of the New York State Thruway Authority has told local television in Albany NY he won't defend the way E-ZPass transponders have been provided free to state employees in the past. He told WNYT Channel 13 TV he inherited an arrangement under which some 8,000 E-ZPass accounts are set up to provide free rides to state employees, including some retirees getting them for life.

Escalating his campaign against staff perks, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (Republican) has called on four more toll agencies to end free rides for employees. This is in addition to his tussle with the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA). Three of the five are bistate or border agencies jointly operated with New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware, and some of the free rides are written into labor contracts, or go back decades.

A perk for present and past employees of the Port Authority New York New Jersey (PANYNJ) has been criticized by the governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine. The Star Ledger newspaper reported the PANYNJ acknowledgement of the perk and the state governor's disapproval Monday.

The New York State attorney-general has said that free E-ZPass accounts for members and past members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board are illegal and should immediately be revoked. But the MTA arguing "we've done it for years" will take the matter to court, seeking a judgment on the legality of the perk.