§ 32:1-128 — Rules and regulations; tolls; disposition of revenues

The port authority is hereby authorized to make and enforce such rules and regulations and to establish, levy and collect such tolls and other charges in connection with any vehicular bridges and tunnels which it may now or hereafter be authorized to own, construct, operate or control (including the said Holland Tunnel and the said Midtown Hudson Tunnel), as it may deem necessary, proper or desirable, which said tolls and charges shall be at least sufficient to meet the expenses of the construction, operation and maintenance thereof, and to provide for the payment of, with interest upon, and the amortization and retirement of bonds or other securities or obligations issued or incurred for bridge or tunnel purposes. There shall be allocated to the cost of the construction, operation and maintenance of such bridges and tunnels, such proportion of the general expenses of the port authority as it shall deem properly chargeable thereto. The moneys in the General Reserve Fund of the port authority (authorized by chapter 5 of the laws of New Jersey, 1931, as amended, and chapter 48 of the laws of New York, 1931, as amended may be pledged in whole or in part by the port authority as security for or applied by it to the repayment with interest of any moneys which it may raise upon bonds or other securities or obligations issued or incurred from time to time for any of the purposes of this act or secured in whole or in part by the pledge of the revenues of the port authority from any bridge or tunnel or both so issued or incurred and so secured; and the moneys in said General Reserve Fund may be applied by the port authority to the fulfillment of any other undertakings which it may assume to or for the benefit of the holders of any such bonds, securities or other obligations. Subject to prior liens and pledges (and to the obligation of the port authority to apply revenues to the maintenance of its General Reserve Fund in the amount prescribed by the said statutes authorizing said fund), the revenues of the port authority from facilities established, constructed, acquired or effectuated through the issuance or sale of bonds of the port authority secured by a pledge of its General Reserve Fund may be pledged in whole or in part as security for or applied by it to the repayment with interest of any moneys which it may raise upon bonds or other securities or obligations issued or incurred from time to time for any of the purposes of this act or secured in whole or in part by the pledge of the revenues of the port authority from any bridge or tunnel or both so issued or incurred and so secured; and said revenues may be applied by the port authority to the fulfillment of any other undertakings which it may assume to or for the benefit of the holders of such bonds, securities or other obligations. In the event that at any time the balance of moneys theretofore paid into the General Reserve Fund and not applied therefrom shall exceed an amount equal to 1/10 of the par value of all bonds legal for investment, as defined and limited in the said statutes authorizing said fund, issued by the port authority and currently outstanding at such time, by reason of the retirement of bonds or other securities or obligations issued or incurred from time to time for any of the purposes of this act or secured in whole or in part by the pledge of the revenues of the port authority from any bridge or tunnel or both so issued or incurred and so secured, the par value of which had theretofore been included in the computation of said 1/10 , then the port authority may pledge or apply such excess for and only for the purposes for which it is authorized by the said statutes authorizing said fund to pledge the moneys in the General Reserve Fund, and such pledge may be made in advance of the time when such excess may occur. No tolls or other charges authorized by this section shall hereafter be instituted or increased until after a public hearing thereon shall have been held, at which persons affected thereby shall be given adequate opportunity to be heard, and notice whereof shall be published by the port authority in a newspaper or newspapers of general circulation within the port district not less than 10 days prior to the convening of such hearing. Such notice shall state with particularity the charge or charges proposed to be instituted or increased and shall set forth in tabular form a comparison of the existing charges with the charges which would result from such institution or increase; and such tabulation shall also include a similar comparison of any decreases or abolitions of charges which are concomitantly proposed as part of a single proposal for restructuring of rates. Such notice shall also set forth an estimate of the overall increase or decrease in annual revenues to the port authority resulting from the proposed institution, increase, decrease or abolition of charges, or combination thereof forming items of a single proposal; the purpose or purposes to which any such overall increase is to be applied, and, if there be more than one such purpose, the specific allocation of such funds between or among them. L.1931, c. 4, s. 11, p. 24. Amended by L.1956, c. 156, p. 629, s. 3; L.1977, c. 108, s. 1.