§ 552. Triborough bridge and tunnel authority. 1. A board, to be known
as "Triborough bridge and tunnel authority" is hereby created. Such
board shall be a body corporate and politic constituting a public
benefit corporation. It shall consist of seventeen members, all serving
ex officio. Those members shall be the persons who from time to time
shall hold the offices of chairman and members of metropolitan
transportation authority. The chairman of such board shall be the
chairman of metropolitan transportation authority, serving ex officio,
and, provided that there is an executive director of the metropolitan
transportation authority, the executive director of the authority shall
be the executive director of the metropolitan transportation authority,
serving ex officio. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
contrary, the chairman shall be the chief executive officer of the
authority and shall be responsible for the discharge of the executive
and administrative functions and powers of the authority. The chairman
and executive director, if any, each shall be empowered to delegate his
or her functions and powers to the executive officer of the Triborough
bridge and tunnel authority or to such person as may succeed to the
powers and duties of said executive officer. The chairman and other
members of the board hereby created, and the executive director, if any,
shall not be entitled to compensation for their services hereunder but
shall be entitled to reimbursement for their actual and necessary
expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.

2. A majority of the whole number of members of the authority then in
office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business or
the exercise of any power of the authority. Except as otherwise
specified in this title for the transaction of any business or the
exercise of any power of the authority, the authority shall have the
power to act by a majority vote of the members present at any meeting at
which a quorum is in attendance and except further, that in the event of
a tie vote the chairman shall cast one additional vote. For the purposes
of the voting and quorum requirements of this subdivision, the voting
and quorum requirements set forth in subdivision three of section twelve
hundred sixty-three of this chapter and in any by-law of the
metropolitan transportation authority adopted pursuant to the provisions
of such subdivision shall be applicable hereto. Such board and its
corporate existence shall continue only for a period of five years and
thereafter until all its liabilities have been met and its bonds, notes
and other obligations have been paid in full or such liabilities or
bonds, notes or other obligations have otherwise been discharged,
including bonds, notes or other obligations issued by the metropolitan
transportation authority that are payable in whole or in part by
revenues of the authority. When all liabilities incurred by the
authority of every kind and character have been met and all its bonds,
notes and other obligations have been paid in full, including bonds,
notes or other obligations issued by the metropolitan transportation
authority that are payable in whole or in part by revenues of the
authority, or such liabilities or bonds, notes or other obligations have
otherwise been discharged, all rights and properties of the authority
shall pass to and be vested in the city, except those rights and
properties held by it relating to the convention center which shall pass
to and be vested in the state. The authority shall retain full
jurisdiction and control over all its projects, with the right and duty,
subject to the limitations of subdivision nine of section five hundred
fifty-two-a of this title, to charge tolls and collect revenues
therefrom, for the benefit of the holders of any of its bonds, notes or
other obligations or other liabilities, even if not issued or incurred
in connection with the project. Upon the authority's ceasing to exist
all its remaining rights and properties shall pass to the city, except
those rights and properties held by it relating to the convention center
which shall pass to the state.

3. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of this or any other
law, general, special or local, no officer or employee of the state or
of any public corporation as defined in the general corporation law
shall be deemed to have forfeited or shall forfeit his office or
employment or any benefits provided under the retirement and social
security law or under any public retirement system maintained by the
state or any of its subdivisions by reason of being a member or the
chairman of the authority.