Audit: NJ Turnpike Wasted Millions on Perks

[The Northerner]

MYFOXNY.COM - Auditors say the New Jersey Turnpike Authority wasted $43 million on unneeded perks and bonuses. In one case, an employee with a base salary of $73,469 earned $321,985 when all payouts and bonuses were included.

The audit says that toll dollars From the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway were spent on items ranging from an employee bowling league to employee bonuses for working on birthdays and holidays.

It took place as tolls were being increased.

The biggest expense uncovered in the audit was $30 million in unjustified bonuses to employees and management in 2008 and 2009 without consideration of performance.

One example was paying employees overtime for removing snow and working holidays and then giving additional "snow removal bonuses" and "holiday bonuses."

The Comptroller's Office audit released Tuesday says taxpayers also paid $430,000 for free E-ZPass transponders for employees to get to work and nearly $90,000 in scholarships for workers' kids.

The audit shows turnpike authority employees got bonuses and overtime for working their birthdays and holidays.

Read more: http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/traffic/traffic_news/audit-excessive-perks-for-nj-turnpike-employees-20101019-apx


Ah, yes, more class warfare aimed at creating tension between the middle class and public employees over extremely frivolous reports.

It never seems to stop.

[Historic NY]

1. and the road is still screwed up especially the toll plazas.

[LiberalEsto]

2. As a reporter I covered the Turnpike Authority

for several years. The highway commissioners seemed to get their appointments as political patronage rewards, and continued to reward themselves and their staffs during their terms. Some of the NJTA staff in the early 80s were true professionals dedicated to improving highway safety, but overall it looked to me like the Turnpike Authority was a cushy place to be. Unless you were a toll collector or doing some other low-level job. I remember when collectors at the Elizabeth Toll Plaza started keeling over from heat and pollution one day.

[Lance_Boyle]

3. So it's wrong to let people know that their money is wasted this way? n/t

[joeybee12]

4. Most comapnies pay you extra or even double for working a holiday...

sounds like more Fox class warfare to me.