Oh politicians, you're actually doing work? I thought you'd forgotten how!

The state would provide $25 million to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to help retain the free or cheaper fares under a pending deal being hammered out in Albany.

If approved -- never a sure thing in New York's wayward state capital -- the deal would represent only a partial restoration of money for a program that once received $45 million a year in state money. But officials said the transportation authority had agreed to cover the rest of the costs.

A spokesman for the transportation authority declined to comment Thursday afternoon.

The authority placed the discounted fares on the chopping block in December to help close an $800 million budget shortfall.