By David Madden

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — At regular meetings of the Delaware River Port Authority, staffers from Governor Chris Christie’s office are routinely on hand and they’re paid, it turns out, by the DRPA for their time. It’s a practice one Pennsylvania board member is not too happy with.

“We’re talking $17,000 a year.”

Chump change in a $320 million budget, but Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner is not happy with the concept. After all, no one on the Pennsylvania side of the table is compensated for time or travel.

“These are the kinds of things that, I think, are embarrassing for the board in terms of us not knowing why a specific allocation is made.”

The covenant that creates the agency allows for on location oversight on behalf of New Jersey’s Governor, who has veto power but no vote. Pennsylvania’s Governor has a vote, but no veto. New Jersey has sought reimbursement for its monitors and got it. And while Wagner didn’t like it, he still voted for the budget that contains the reimbursements.