Malcolm Smith Has a New M.T.A. Plan; 'We Did Not Take a Count,' Says Spokesman

ALBANY—It's the State Senate's plan to fix the M.T.A.'s finances, take two.

Here's what it includes: a $1 surcharge on taxi rides in the 12 counties served by the M.T.A., raising $190 million; a sliding payroll tax on all businesses within that region, raising $1.49 billion; a $25 fee on motor vehicle registration, raising $130 million; a 25 percent increase on the fee to obtain a drivers license, raising $10.5 million; an eight percent increase on fares; and an increase in tax on rental cars, raising $35 million.

No legislators attended the announcement.

A total of $1.76 billion will flow to the M.T.A.; an additional $95 million will be used as the basis for issuing bonds toward $1.2 billion of road and bridge projects on Long Island and upstate.

Bridge tolls are notably absent.

The draft legislation, which could be introduced as soon as tomorrow, calls for an outside audit of the authority; provides one authority board member to be appointed by the Assembly and one by the Senate; offers a line-item veto for items proposed in the M.T.A. capital plan; and requires internet posting of both the budget and capital plans, a summary of executive perks, the use of outside consultants and quarterly earnings updates.

Shafran said Smith "plans" to introduce the bill this week and put it out for a floor vote next week. He said he believes it will have the required 32 votes to pass—which may require support from some Republicans.

"We did not take a count," Shafran said. "What we felt we had to do was to do something that addressed the needs of the M.T.A."

"We're confident that we'll have 32 votes," he said.

The plan differs from proposals by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and David Paterson. It does, however, seem to have been crafted by Smith's central staff and the senators who are most loyal to him.

Just over a month ago, Smith put forward a plan that seemed designed to placate obstinate members of his conference. That plan was widely panned.There is no reaction yet from the Assembly or Paterson yet to the new proposal.

[UPDATE: Silver's reaction is here.]

It's not immediately clear whether Smith will have the votes needed. State Senator Craig Johnson will not vote for a plan that includes a payroll tax, his spokesman told me this morning, and other suburban members have similar reservations.

But by including funding for upstate projects, Smith may pick up some upstate Republicans like State Senator Betty Little.