Governor Andrew M. Cuomo holds a storm and Covid-19 briefing at his New York Metropolis Workplace (photograph: Don Pollard/Workplace of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)
Rick Cotton, Government Director of The Port Authority of NY & NJ
We’ve all grown accustomed to criticizing authorities. It’s virtually a civic pastime in New York. From bureaucratic delays to price range overruns, the listing of grievances is lengthy and infrequently justified.
However once in a while, authorities will get one thing huge proper — and when that occurs, it deserves recognition. One instance in a class of its personal is the resurgence of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey beneath govt director Rick Cotton, who’s stepping down in January after holding the place longer than anybody else for the reason that Eighties.
Translation of complicated coverage challenges into profitable initiatives requires the help of many inside and outdoors authorities, however the suitable chief in the suitable place on the proper time on this case was vital.
The Port Authority is a novel public enterprise. Created in 1921 by a bistate compact and act of Congress, its management is a twin report back to the governors of New Jersey and New York, by a collectively appointed board which typically leaves intrastate choices to the affected state. Formally, the governors’ energy is proscribed to having the ability to “veto” the minutes of board conferences, primarily rejecting any motion taken at them. In actuality, board members are normally shut allies of the respective governors, with the chair being from New Jersey and the chief director from New York by custom.
The Port Authority’s operations embrace port services, bridges, tunnels, airports, mass transit and business actual property such because the World Commerce Middle. It’s an financial powerhouse.
Completely different asset courses obtained totally different ranges of consideration at occasions as priorities and politics shifted, most notably within the aftermath of the September 11 assaults. One consequence was a scarcity of concentrate on the world’s airports, with John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport changing into antiquated in comparison with the airports of different worldwide monetary market cities with which New York competes, and the regional LaGuardia Airport in such a tragic situation that then-Vice President Joe Biden characterised it as “Third World.”
An Airbus A319 passenger plane of American Airways arrives from St. Thomas at JFK worldwide airport in New York because the Manhattan skyline looms within the background.Photograph by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP, by way of Getty Photos
At the moment, these gateways are being hailed as among the many world’s greatest. Beneath Cotton, the Port Authority’s govt director since 2017, the company executed an $8 billion rebuild of LaGuardia and an ongoing $19 billion reconstruction of JFK. Each have been completed largely with out drama, aside from the inconvenience to vacationers of cramped quarters whereas the work was underway. The JFK mission was largely financed by a public non-public partnership, with solely about $3 billion in public funding.
Concurrently, enhancements have been undertaken at Newark airport, port services have been modernized and planning superior on the long-stalled alternative for the forty second Avenue bus terminal.
Cotton’s success was not preordained. He got here in as an in depth affiliate of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose aggressive infrastructure agenda set the tone for these tasks, and inherited an company nonetheless reeling from the aftermath of the “Bridgegate” visitors diversion scandal in New Jersey throughout Gov. Chris Christie’s administration. When Cuomo abruptly resigned in 2021, Cotton survived housecleaning by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Add to that the Covid-19 pandemic’s devastating influence on journey, freight provide chains and workplace occupancy and the size of what was achieved was clearly outstanding.
Notably, Cotton, 73, got here to infrastructure late in his profession. A lawyer — and former U.S. Supreme Courtroom clerk — he labored at two federal companies earlier than embarking on a profession as a profitable profession broadcast govt. His concentrate on main tasks began together with his being tapped by Cuomo as a particular advisor on infrastructure with a portfolio that included Moynihan Station in addition to the airports.
The Port Authority has had a status of being a crown jewel of public companies, benefitting from its being a income generator not depending on the states’ budgets and considerably insulated from electoral politics by being instantly accountable to its board and never a legislative physique. Toll and fare will increase have often occurred each earlier than and through Cotton’s tenure however with out attracting as a lot acrimony as when completed by the MTA. Nonetheless, the complexity of enterprise so many giant tasks in such a brief interval rivals something completed beneath grasp builder Robert Moses.
That’s to not say that the Port Authority was oblivious to public coverage preferences. Beneath Cotton, it set bold objectives for minority and girls owned enterprise contracting. This program is now beneath scrutiny because the Trump administration pushes again at publicly funded variety initiatives.
General, the worth of the Port Authority’s belongings grew from $46 billion when Cotton took workplace to $63 billion final yr. It generates about $7 billion in income, together with about $2 billion from bridge and tunnel tolls which rose throughout his tenure.
The 68 million airport passengers within the first half of 2025, the 58.9 million drivers crossing bridges and tunnels and the 29.2 million PATH riders throughout the identical interval might not have recognized why their journey expertise appeared to have gotten higher over the previous couple of years, however Rick Cotton’s skill to ship for them with out changing into a tabloid goal set the usual for public executives who comply with.
Ken Fisher is with the legislation agency of Cozen O’Connor. His follow focuses on the enterprise and state and native authorities.
