Here’s a classic tale of how politics and money work together: Cooper Hospital in Camden has turned into an economic and political powerhouse, thanks to the help of New Jersey Democratic strongman George Norcross.
The hospital’s growth rests on a financial tripod that all revolves around Norcross’s influence:
- Enormous sums spent on lobbying
- Receives a large amount of public money
- Big donors and politically connected firms win lucrative contracts with the hospital
Replace public money with tolls and parking fees, and it could be a story about the Delaware River Port Authority, or the Philadelphia Parking Authority. It’s ugly, but it’s the way things work.
