ALBANY—The governor met with the four legislative leaders for less than 30 minutes this morning.
Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith declined to take questions from reporters, saying there hadn't been any progress made on an agreement to help the M.T.A. bridge a $1.2 billion shortfall. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is pushing a plan that would place $2 tolls on the East and Harlem River bridges and impose a payroll tax in the authority's service region.
The Senate is divided on the plan, and Smith seems to be stalling for time by calling for a review of the M.T.A.'s finances. Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco briefed reporters as they left the meeting, with Skelos saying, "There's no support in the conference for a payroll tax."
Skelos also said that the Senate and Assembly will pass one-house budgets by the end of next week.
