Our other $400,000,000 Problem

by: Jay Lassiter

Fri Sep 03, 2010 at 12:44:23 PM EDT

Gov Christie and Mattheussen. $800,000,000 worth of stupid. Photo: NJ Courier Post

Governor Christie's colossal blunder costing the state $400m in Race To the Top educational grants has been the talk of the nation for good reason. So naturally Christie is ready to change the subject.

But it is a surprise the Governor would take refuge at the scandal- plagued Delaware River Port Authority.

Go below the fold to find out why......

The Delaware River Port Authority is a patronage pit for politically connected types from Philly and South Jersey alike. They control the Ben Franklin, Walk Whitman, Commodore Barry and Besty Ross Bridges plus the Speedline (linking CamCo to downtown Philly.) I'm biased here, folks: I take the Speedline a lot. Love it.

When NJN's Zack Fink broke the story that high ranking DRPA officials were giving their friends and family members free EZPass devices, and more lurid and expensive details emerged, all hell broke loose. Especially since bridge tolls are about to skyrocket to $5/trip next year.

So the scandal broke, heads rolled, outrage expressed and reforms promised. You know, the usual shuffle. Don't forget this is an agency sporting a $400,000,000 budget. Over a third of DRPA's budget goes to servicing the debt created when they made a slew of stupid investments like windmills that don't turn and monorails to nowhere.

The guy in charge at the DRPA is CEO John J. Matheussen, a former Republican State Senator from South Jersey. Matteussen makes a fat six-figure salary --just shy of $200k -- and when Christie emerged in Camden yesterday to change the subject address the DRPA mess, many expected CEO Mattheussen to get the boot. But it didn't happen.

Instead of firing the guy in charge, our Governor Chris Christie emerged from a meeting with CEO Matthuessen offering this meek reply:

"I told Sen. Matheussen he has to be an agent of change. I also told him DRPA is running out of time. I am at the tip-top of my patience."

Of all the things to go limp on, why does the governor choose the Delaware River Port Authority? How come every time Chris Christie comes to Camden County he plays coy? What's he afraid of down here? Is it true that something's up between Christie and Senate President Steve Sweeney? Or does Chris Christie feel outgunned in the face of the much vaunted South Jersey Democratic armada?

Governor Christie had a chance to be bold and spare NJ commuters/taxpayers any more DRPA-flavored indignity. But instead of firing the agency's chief, Christie gave Mattheussen a lifeline.