NEW YORK, NY December 04, 2008 —It's a plan designed to spread the burden among the largest group of people.

At least that's how Richard Ravitch described his panel's recommendations for bailing out the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Recommendations include a payroll tax for companies, fare and toll increases of just 8 percent, instead of 23 percent, and tolls for bridges over the East River and Harlem River.

RAVITCH: We belive that that should happen if the resources are used to dramatically expand bus transportation in the region, and our recommendations in this regard link the two inexorably.

REPORTER: He says the tolls would raise $600 million for bus improvements. But Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz says Albany has already weighed in on this idea.

MARKOWITZ: They come up with, to me, a backhanded approach to imposing congestion pricing, which has already gone down.

REPORTER: Markowitz spoke on the Brian Lehrer Show. The MTA is facing a budget deficit next year of $1.4 billion. By law, it must balance its budget.