DRPA leads region's peers in average pay

As it prepares to raise bridge tolls and commuter-rail fares, the Delaware River Port Authority will try to convince the commuting public the increases are necessary to keep the bridges "safe, secure and serviceable."

Deep in debt and with nearly 900 employees on its payroll, the agency spends more than three-quarters of its money on debt-service and salaries and benefits. Anything new - such as $1 billion in planned repairs and improvements - requires higher tolls and fares, the agency says.

It pays 9 to 18 percent more, per employee, than other toll-bridge agencies in the region, and its debt level is higher, as well.

Chief executive officer John Matheussen said the agency's payroll was appropriate.

"I think we're paying our people a fair wage and getting a fair day's work for a fair day's pay," he said. Raises have been held to 3 percent a year since he became CEO in 2003, he said, and the workforce has been trimmed by 12 percent over that period.

"I'm confident we've done what we need to do to put our own house in order," Matheussen said.

Employee salaries and benefits and debt payments consumed about 76 percent of the authority's $229 million budget this year.

The DRPA plans to hike bridge tolls by $1 and PATCO commuter train fares by 10 percent on Sept. 14, to pay for $1 billion in planned repairs and improvements to its four bridges and to its rail fleet and stations. The agency also plans similar toll and fare increases in 2010.

Last year, the DRPA paid its 887 employees $50.7 million and about $3.3 million more in overtime. That's an average annual pay of about $61,000 for each worker. Actual salaries ranged from $213,000 for Matheussen to $43,500 for toll collectors.

By comparison, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, which operates seven toll bridges north of Philadelphia, paid an average of about $51,700 to its employees.

The Burlington-Bristol Bridge Commission, which operates the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol toll bridges, paid its employees an average of about $55,000.

And the Delaware River Bridge Authority, which operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge and the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, paid an average of $56,200 to each employee.

When the cost of benefits are added in, the total amount budgeted for DRPA and PATCO workers this year is $75.3 million, or about $85,000 per worker. Wages and benefits account for about 33 percent of the agency's $229 million operating budget.

About 82 percent of the port authority's revenue comes from the millions of drivers who use the four bridges. The agency expects to take in about $238 million this year, $195 million of that from bridge tolls.

The DRPA's biggest cost is debt service. The DRPA is $1.2 billion in debt, and it is spending about $99 million this year for principal and interest payments. That represents about 42 percent of its revenue this year.

That compares to about 13 percent for the Delaware River and Bay Authority, 24 percent for the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, and 8 percent for the Burlington County Bridge Authority, in 2007.

The DRPA's $1.2 billion debt is partly a legacy of its past largesse. Since 1999, the DRPA has spent about $375 million on such economic development projects as Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard, Lincoln Financial Field, the Kimmel Center, the National Constitution Center, the New Jersey State Aquarium, the Camden Riversharks minor-league baseball stadium, sprucing up Admiral Wilson Boulevard, and a still-unbuilt tram across the river.

Most recently, the agency gave $10 million for a soccer-stadium complex on the Chester waterfront and $5 million for the National Museum of American Jewish History near Independence Hall.

In announcing the planned toll hikes, Matheussen said the new money would not be used for economic development projects. He said "we have heard the discontent" of commuters over using tolls for development. But he noted last week that about $35 million remained in economic-development money set aside previously "that could still be used" for development projects.

Although the DRPA board is expected to approve the toll and fare increases next month, public hearings scheduled for this week could still influence those plans, DRPA officials said.

"New revenues are necessary, we've made no bones about that. But I don't think the proposals are necessarily set in stone," said John Estey, chairman-designee of the board. "I think there is a not-insubstantial likelihood that parts of the proposal will be modified."

He said the eight Pennsylvania members on the bistate board already had discussed possible changes to the proposals, which include reductions in the senior-citizen discount and gradual elimination of the E-ZPass discount.

Vice chairman Jeff Nash said essentially the same thing for the New Jersey delegation.

"We're going to listen to what the public has to say, and we'll discuss that among the New Jersey commissioners," Nash said.

Delaware River Port Authority

Operates four toll bridges - Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, Walt Whitman and Commodore Barry.

Total 2007 payroll (including $3.3 million in overtime): $54 million

Employees: 887; Average annual pay: $61,000

Delaware River Bridge Authority

Operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, the Three Forts Ferry Crossing, the Salem County Business Center and five regional airports.

Total 2007 payroll (including $1 million in overtime): $23.7 million

Employees: 422; Average annual pay: $56,166

Burlington-Bristol Bridge Commission

Operates the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol toll bridges.

Total 2007 payroll (including $240,290 in overtime): $8.4 million

Employees: 153; Average annual pay: $54,971

Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission

Operates seven toll bridges and 13 other bridges.

Total 2007 payroll (including $327,394 in overtime): $17.3 million

Employees: 335; Average annual pay: $51,716

Public hearings on proposed toll increases:

Tuesday: Main lounge of the Campus Center at Rutgers University-Camden, 326 Penn St., 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday: Philadelphia Cruise Terminal, Building No. 3, Navy Yard, 5100 S. Broad St., 6-8 p.m.

Public comments also may be submitted in writing to the Delaware River Port Authority, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 1949, Camden, NJ 08101, or by e-mail to comments@drpa.org.

EndText