Audit: N.J. Turnpike Authority wasted $43 million

New Jersey’s comptroller says most of the money went for unwarranted employee perks — such as bonuses for working on birthdays and a bowling league.

An audit has found that the New Jersey Turnpike Authority has wasted millions of dollars.

State Comptroller Matt Boxer said his audit of the authority, which oversees the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, found $43 million of toll money was wasted between 2008 and 2009. He said most of the money paid for unnecessary employee perks.

“The Authority was giving free E-ZPass to its employees to get to and from work,” said Boxer. “They also funded things like an employee bowling league for $12,000 and made other employee-related payments to third parties that would be difficult to justify, particularly in this economic climate.”

Boxer said the authority could have saved millions by participating in the state Health Benefits Program instead of using a private carrier for health insurance.

The authority said it is considering the comptroller’s recommendations and has already made some changes.