New Jersey Turnpike Authority Spends Money on Bowling League & Birthdays

by Amanda Griffin-Johnson In New Jersey, auditors concluded the New Jersey Turnpike Authority “wasted $43 million on unneeded perks and bonuses.” The audit found public funds were spent on an employee bowling league and an event for toll operators which “none of the authority’s employees actually attended.” In an egregious example highlighting the problems with the current compensation...

by Amanda Griffin-Johnson

In New Jersey, auditors concluded the New Jersey Turnpike Authority “wasted $43 million on unneeded perks and bonuses.” The audit found public funds were spent on an employee bowling league and an event for toll operators which “none of the authority’s employees actually attended.” In an egregious example highlighting the problems with the current compensation system, “an employee with a base salary of $73,469 earned $321,985 when all payouts and bonuses were included.” My FOX New York reports:

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.

Did you know that in 2008, toll collectors and coin counters working for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority received average annual wages, respectively, of $45,036 and $55,050? You can learn more at our transparency website, IllinoisOpenGov.org, which features pension and payroll data from the state government.