By David Madden

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) — The Delaware River Port Authority’s inspector general, charged with implementing and monitoring agency reforms, has been on the job for seven months (see related story).  And he’s now in the center of a battle over his duties and his compensation.

Tom Raftery has now been given the duties and responsibilities of a “senior” manager.  That’s to ensure his independence.

But some commissioners are balking over moves to adjust his salary from $130,000 to $165,000, which normally goes with a senior manager’s position.

“We’re not talking about a raise for a new employee,” says Pennsylvania commissioner Robert Teplitz.  “We’re trying to adjust the salary to meet our original expectations and the new employee’s original expectation when he took the position.”

But New Jersey commissioner Jeffrey Nash says the move is a raise and won’t sit well with people paying $5 tolls to cross their bridges.

The salary question has been punted to the agency’s audit committee.  For his part, Raftery had no comment.