"The MTA remains focused on the Ravitch Commission's comprehensive plan, which puts the transit system back on solid ground for the long term," an MTA spokesperson tells GlobeSt.com.

Funding the future would be a 12% payroll tax in the 12 county area the MTA services, along with an 8% fare increase in June. But the plan also imposed bridge tolls, originally priced at $5 a crossing, an idea some say stoked opposition to the proposal. "It seems clear that the State Senate is being driven by avoidance of Harlem and East River tolls," Anderson tells GlobeSt.com.

The alternative Senate plan would eliminate bridge tolls, lower the proposed payroll tax to 25 cents for every dollar and set fare increases at 4%. Supporters say it would provide enough money to keep the authority going for the near future giving the Senate and MTA time to develop a plan.

But in addition, supporters say they would like an extensive audit of the MTA's accounting, arguing that [Senate plan supporters] aren't being unreasonable by asking for more time and data before committing billions to long term financing. Expressing outer borough frustration with what he called broken promises of local capital improvements, Bronx Democratic Senator and alternative plan supporter Pedro Espada tells GlobeSt "there is little trust with this notion of 'trust me, give me the money, I'll give you a plan.' Common sense should prevail."

For the record, the MTA does post its financial statements on its website. Further, the agency is overseen by an MTA Inspector General, the state and city comptrollers, the Capital Program Review board and the State Senate and Assembly standing committees as well as a number of transit groups. Still, opponents of the Ravitch plan say greater scrutiny is warranted before the state allocates more money towards the agency's infrastructure.

"This is taking a breath, giving the MTA operational relief, getting the auditing done, so that we can give ourselves and the MTA time to develop a more clear plan," Espada tells GlobeSt.com. He asserts that March 25 is not a real deadline, and says threats of doomsday on that date are not helpful to negotiating a solution.

"It may satisfy the 'let's see who blinks first' mentality but it will not work with the Senate majority," Espada says. He adds that that the Senate is determined to give the MTA the operational assistance it needs, so a fare increase is reduced to around 4%. As for capital improvements, Espada says "it's prudent to have the forensic accounting audit take place, one that is deeply focused and independent."P>Anderson says Senate opponents like Espada are avoiding the inevitable, and that avoiding any kind of plan that deals with capital maintenance and improvement creates what he calls "a very serious situation. The payroll tax as recommended by the Ravitch commission should be used for the capital program," he says, pointing out that the number of people driving into the city is a handful in comparison to the number of those who rely on public transit. "The operating side should be dealt with by a low fare increase andmotorist related charges, not a payroll tax." The MTA says that as many as 8.5 million rely on its services each day.