Gov. Paterson all but promised Sunday the state will come up with the cash to let students keep their free or discounted MetroCards.

“The revenues are making me feel that we will be able to eliminate the charge on the MetroCards,” Paterson said on 98.7 KISS FM. “Within the next two weeks, I’ll have a positive announcement.”

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board voted last month to phase out the MetroCard program after Paterson and the Legislature slashed its funding to $6 million from $45 million.

Advocates said it’s important that the funding restored to the student MetroCards doesn’t get swiped from another part of the MTA’s budget.

MTA officials did not comment, but have cautioned that money paid by the city and state for the ride program – even before the cuts – doesn’t cover the full cost of the 585,000 student MetroCards.

“There’s been a tidal wave of opposition to killing student MetroCards, so I am not surprised the governor needs to respond positively,” said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign.

(Source: NY Daily News)