Time for Some Problems at Port Authority: Lipper Goes Rogue

[FarCenter]

Growing up in the South Bronx, Ken Lipper sat at his grandmother’s knee, tallying the hems and collars she sewed. The 7-year-old boy wanted to ensure the immigrant from Russia, who spoke no English, was properly paid.

Now Lipper says he’s protecting the public purse. At 72, he’s prosecuting an idea from his tenure three decades ago as a deputy mayor under Ed Koch to help steer the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey away from real-estate ventures such as the World Trade Center and back to its core mission of maintaining bridges, tunnels and the region’s primary airports.

Lipper is fighting a plan to provide a $1.2 billion loan guarantee to 3 World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein, a stance that’s pitted him against fellow commissioner Scott Rechler, also an appointee of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The debate at an agency better known for its secrecy follows the departures of senior officials in a political scandal over deliberate lane closings last year at the George Washington Bridge.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-25/lipper-pushes-trade-center-fight-he-started-as-koch-aide.html

The PANYNJ should be limited to running the bridges/tunnels between the states. It should not be involved in building real estate in NY or NJ. Nor should it be in the airport and seaport business.

[Cha]

1. what a concept!

"Now Lipper says he’s protecting the public purse. At 72, he’s prosecuting an idea from his tenure three decades ago as a deputy mayor under Ed Koch to help steer the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey away from real-estate ventures such as the World Trade Center and back to its core mission of maintaining bridges, tunnels and the region’s primary airports."

thanks FarCenter