Lawmaker: Port Authority Reform Bills in “Legislative Siberia” [AUDIO]

As the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee on Investigation continues to probe the Bridgegate scandal, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey continues to spend millions in taxpayer dollars each day with little oversight according to Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-Belford).

With so much taxpayer money being spent, Handlin can't understand why the Democrat-controlled Legislature won't take action on a set of bills she's co-sponsoring that would reform the Port Authority.

"Until we reform the Port Authority in fundamental ways, we are looking at an out of control agency - essentially a circus being run by the clowns." Handlin said. "It's spending a grand total of over $8 billion a year, $22 million a day,"

The packages of bills sponsored by Handlin are designed to improve oversight and accountability at the Port Authority by forcing the agency to comply with the Open Public Records Act.  The bills would also force Port Authority officials to disclose financial conflicts of interest and strengthen whistle-blower protections.

Handlin said her legislation is more than just simply stalled and she can't understand why people are not outraged.

"My reform bills are languishing in legislative Siberia somewhere.  The Port Authority is spending almost $1 million dollars an hour in exactly the same way, guided by exactly the same rules, influenced by exactly the same culture of arrogance that brought us Bridgegate - and we have the power to turn off the spigot," Handlin said.

The SCI has already spent over $750,000 without uncovering anything of note while her bills are stuck in neutral according to Handlin.