Mayor Bloomberg sent a message to the MTA last night: Look elsewhere for cash.

Speaking at El Museo del Barrio in Spanish Harlem during the second of four public hearings held by the MTA’s executive board, the mayor firmly let it be known that the financially strapped transit organization should expect no additional funds from the city.

“The MTA has a 15% budget deficit next year; the city has a 20% one,” he told the panel.

Since releasing its new budget figures in June, the MTA has been caught in a maelstrom of debate over how it will cover its deep debts and still maintain a high level of service. Already burdened with debt from the last capital plan enacted in 1996, which was funded by bonds, the MTA has created a capital plan that would leave it an additional $15 billion in the red.

What the MTA really wants, according to comments made in past committee and board meetings, is for the state and localities to come up with more money. The state contributed nothing to the last capital plan.

The MTA shouldn’t expect any additional money from the city. The mayor pointed out that New York City faces its own budget deficit of $3.6 billion and already heavily subsidizes the MTA. New York is the only locality to contribute money, $400 million, to the capital budget, and it pays for the transit police.

In particular, Mr. Bloomberg took the agency to task for its “bloated payroll,” “out-of-control spending,” and “needless redundancies.” He cited a report by the state comptroller, Alan Hevesi, which found that the agency has 440 lawyers of its own yet still spent $10.9 million on outside lawyers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is no way to run a railroad,” Mr. Bloomberg said, to a loud ovation.

He was joined last night by nearly every elected official representing Manhattan, including seven City Council members, four assemblymen, and three state senators.

The council speaker, Gifford Miller, used his platform to chastise the MTA for its inefficiencies and to further his expected run for mayor in 2005. He asked the board to use its influence with the Legislature to get it to reinstate the commuter tax to fund transit.

“And we need the mayor to stop saying it’s a good idea one day and a bad idea the next. We need consistent leadership on this,” Mr. Miller said.

Each politician at the podium had their own suggestion to solve the MTA’s budget woes: Many said the MTA should cut back its staff; others demanded the MTA sell the Hudson Yards rail yard at a market rate, rather than at a discount, for the Jets stadium. Council Member Gail Brewer wants the MTA to sell off subway memorabilia on eBay.

The MTA is currently planning several fare increases, though last week it backed down from its original “doomsday proposal.” The moderated proposed increases under discussion include a rise in the monthly subway pass price to $76 from $70, adding a $1 a month E-ZPass fee, and raising express bus fares by a dollar, to $5 from $4.The only bus, toll, or subway fare to remain untouched is the $2 base fare.