Citing an audit critical of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, lawmakers from the two states are calling on the two governors to back bills intended to boost accountability at the agency.

The lawmakers — New Jersey Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) and New York State Senator Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) — are also calling for a rollback of the Port Authority toll hike imposed in September.

“Yesterday’s report on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is nothing short of an indictment of Port Authority operations,” Lanza said in a statement Wednesday.

The report outlined the first phase of a financial review ordered by Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as a condition of their approving a multi-year toll hike in August.

The financial review, by Navigant Consulting, characterized the Port Authority as “challenged and dysfunctional,” and provided details of the agency’s capital and payroll spending. For example, the agency’s 2010 average per-employee compensation came to $143,060, including salary, overtime, and healthcare and pension benefits.

The audit also disclosed the Port Authority has allowed the overall cost of the World Trade Center redevelopment project to balloon from an estimated $11 billion to nearly $15 billion since 2008.

Lanza and Huttle have sponsored twin bills in the two states that would require additional public hearings before each of the remaining four increments of the toll hike takes effect. Approval in both states, including the governors’ signature, is required to enact Port Authority legislation.

“Toll payers shouldn’t be forced to suffer for the Port Authority’s lack of oversight, insufficient cost controls and poor capital planning,” Huttle stated.

Neither governor’s office responded to requests for comment Wednesday.

(Source: NJ Star Ledger)