Blaz dumps on MTA-fixup funding idea

MAYOR DE BLASIO on Friday ripped Sen. Jeff Klein, the leader of the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference — calling his proposal to fund the MTA with city income taxes and speed camera revenues “ridiculous.”

Klein, whose group caucuses with Republicans to control the Senate, had called for the state to divert $431.5 million in city sales tax revenue to cover half of an MTA turnaround plan that de Blasio has insisted is the state’s responsibility.

Klein also proposed expanding the use of speed cameras and using the revenue to hold subway and bus fares flat, cut express bus prices and fund MetroCards for low-income New Yorkers — a component that seemed to particularly outrage Hizzoner.

“I think that’s a ridiculous idea,” he said on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show. “Suggesting that the speed cameras are about revenue is the wrong approach. Speed cameras are not about revenue. We would love to make no revenue on the speed cameras and we’d love to see people not speeding.”

He insisted the use of speed cameras should be tied to safety, not funding any services.

“If Sen. Klein is saying he’s going to fight for more speed cameras for us in Albany to protect kids, that’s great, but don’t link it to the MTA issue,” he fumed.

And he ripped the idea of diverting the city’s tax revenue, saying the cash should go to things like schools, cops and sanitation services.

“That’s ridiculous,” he said. “That’s putting an additional burden on New York City that’s not fair.”

Klein blasted the mayor right back — saying de Blasio owed all of his accomplishments to the Democratic Conference leader.

“To jog the mayor’s memory, his only two real accomplishments, speed cameras and Universal Pre-K, were achieved because of my leadership and ability to get state funding for the city,” Klein said in a statement. “I am fully aware that speed cameras save lives, but I also want to achieve parity for low-income MTA riders and every rider in the city.”