DRPA donated $775,000 to groups

The charitable giving had its genesis in 2004 when the DRPA board created "sponsorship funds" of $250,000 each for Pennsylvania and New Jersey organizations. The accounts were to provide "funding for regional and social-service and civic organizations and sponsorship of corresponding events" in keeping with the DRPA's "good neighbor policy, [which] dates back to the inception of the authority."

The funding was taken from money borrowed for economic development.

In 2008, 2009, and 2010, an additional $50,000 a year was added for each state. In 2008 and 2009, the money was again taken from economic-development funding, and this year the funding came out of the operating budget.

A sponsorship committee was established to oversee the giving.

Spending was $108,671 in 2004, $165,969 in 2005, $159,224 in 2006, $64,085 in 2007, $95,509 in 2008, $129,168 in 2009, and $52,812 this year.

Last month, with the allotted money almost all spent, the board voted to end its charitable giving as part of changes designed to improve accountability and reduce favoritism.

"We're engaged in an effort to regain the public's trust," said board member Rob McCord, the Pennsylvania state treasurer, as he suggested ending charitable giving for two years.

"When 41 percent of our money goes for debt service, we should concentrate on getting solvent again," said board member John J. "Johnny Doc" Dougherty, a Philadelphia labor leader.

The board voted to continue to allow noncash, "in-kind" contributions to groups that use DRPA bridges or parking lots for fund-raising activities.

DRPA Charitable Contributions

Selected donations, 2004-10

Recipient   Donations   Total

Philadelphia Tribune   13   $59,180   

Greater Philadelphia

Chamber of Commerce   17   31,525   

Philadelphia Convention

and Visitors Bureau   11   31,200   

Woodland Community

Development Center   7   26,590   

Seamen's Church Institute   27   19,300   

Delaware Valley Regional

Planning Commission   14   19,000   

Jazz Journeys Education Institute   3   15,000   

El Sol Newspaper   2   15,000   

American Red Cross   5   14,750   

New Jersey Alliance for Action   11   13,800   

Battleship New Jersey   10   12,800   

World Trade Center

of Greater Philadelphia   17   11,925   

PenJerDel Council   8   9,700   

March of Dimes   8   9,000   

New Jersey State Building

and Construction Trades Council   6   8,000   

Jimmy Rollins Family Foundation   2   7,520   

Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery   3   7,500   

Chamber of Commerce

of Southern New Jersey   6   5,827   

Total Delaware River Port Authority contributions: $775,439

SOURCE: Delaware River Port Authority

Contact staff writer Paul Nussbaum at 215-854-4587 or pnussbaum@phillynews.com.