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Newark Mayor Wants More Money From Port Authority

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Newark's mayor wants the Port Authority to help close the city's budget gap.

Mayor Ras Baraka said the deficit hovers between $40 million and $60 million. He gave a presentation during the public comment period at the Port Authority board meeting Wednesday. The Port Authority leases land from the city to operate Newark Liberty International Airport and Port Newark.

Baraka said he plans to hire an administrator to act as liaison to the Port Authority and said one of his goals is to get an audit of revenues at the port and airport for 2012 and 2013. He also asked for an explanation for why 10 land parcels at Port Newark are unused.

"I don't want an adversarial relationship, but I feel the residents of Newark deserve better than what they are getting," he said.

Port Authority Chairman John Degnan said the port and airport leases were renegotiated in 2002 and included a "most favored nation" clause that ensures the city will be treated on a par with the Port Authority's similar dealings with New York.

One option Baraka raised would have the Port Authority buying the land it now leases from Newark, an idea Degnan said deserved discussion.

Degnan said he would work with the city on all the issues Baraka raised and welcomed the appointment of someone to serve as liaison. He added that the Port Authority has paid more than $1.5 billion to Newark over the last decade.

"We're not a piggy bank," he said. "You can't come to the Port Authority every time you need money. But we look forward to engaging with the mayor as he asked today."

Baraka is taking a different path from fellow Mayor Steven Fulop of Jersey City, who sued the Port Authority for $400 million recently over what he claims are taxes and other payments owed to the city related to Port Authority-owned land. That case is proceeding in federal court.

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