Lawmakers Want More DRPA Transparency

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Delaware River Port Authority CEO John Matheussen and board Chairman John Estey faced a barrage of questions Wednesday at a Pennsylvania Senate Transportation Committee hearing in Harrisburg.

Local Republican state Sen. John Rafferty chairs the committee that held the hearing. He wants the DRPA to address its controversial economic development projects.

Rafferty also wants the agency to be much more upfront about the way it does business.

"This is an agency that's spending people's money, toll money or letting bonds based on people's money, toll money and there's no one accountable to the people who drive cross the bridges and ride the railroads," Rafferty said during the hearing.

The state senator says he wants to change the DRPA agreement between New Jersey and Pennsylvania to get rid of the costly economic development projects.

For weeks we've been telling you about the outrage over toll payer-provided perks at the DRPA and the reforms put in place to get rid of many of them.

The DRPA manages four bridges between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and your tax dollars pay for DRPA employees' pensions.