NY Governor Wants Immediate Vote On MTA Bailout

ALBANY, NY [NY1] — Governor David Paterson wants the state Legislature to vote Monday on his plan to bail out the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The plan still calls for a payroll tax to raise more than a billion dollars for the agency and stave off huge fare hikes and deep service cuts.

But it would also give about $60 million to school districts to offset that tax a move that seems to be winning support from two Democratic Westchester senators who had been holding out.

Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith expressed cautious optimism.

“We are prepared to pass a bill. We are prepared to make sure that the public does not suffer from the increases that the MTA has offered,” said Smith.

“Of the painful remedies, this was the one I thought would cause the least pain,”said Paterson. “Let the school districts pay the payroll taxes. Let the businesses pay the payroll taxes. And then we’ll come around next year, and augment the budgets of all the school districts in next year’s budget.”

The proposal still includes a taxi surcharge, with half the money going for state roads and bridges.