If the state legislature approves Governor Paterson's proposed $113 million in cuts to state funding of the MTA, a fare hike scheduled for 2011 might have to be accelerated to close the budget shortfall — alternatively, the system could see service cuts and layoffs. Or maybe a hodgepodge of all three! Meanwhile, underground cell-phone service is expanding in the Washington, D.C., Metro system this week, and should cover all stations by the fall of next year. [NYT]