By CHRIS GLORIOSO wpix.com

11:01 p.m. EDT, August 5, 2010
NEW YORK (WPIX)—
The state's top financial auditor says bloated overtime is a runaway problem inside the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. A report released Thursday shows 77 percent of the time, MTA middle managers approve overtime payments that are "unjustified" or "undocumented."

"Uncontrolled overtime has been the rule rather than the exception at the MTA," said Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. "The MTA is cutting services, raising fares and tolls and laying-off employees, but it should be doing more to control expenses."

DiNapoli's audit claims more than 3,200 MTA employees make overtime pay equal to half of their annual salaries.

Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road are among the worst offenders. In one case, a Metro North assistant supervisor made $117,000 in overtime despite the fact that his base pay is just $82,000.

A source close to the audit says Metro-North Budget Director Mary Paszkowska shrugged off the findings, claiming "overtime abuse was not a problem."

PIX 11 News attempted to contact Paszkowska. By the publishing of this article she had not returned our call.

Metro-North has seen overtime costs rise 32 percent in the last four years.