The Municipal Transportation Agency will begin laying off 110 employees starting next month as a measure to help the department close a $45 million projected budget shortfall.

Along with the 110 employees, the MTA will eliminate 140 unfilled positions, which the department calculates will result in a savings of $12.3 million.

MTA Director of Administration Debra Johnson said that the department has issued a staff-wide memo alerting impacted employees of the reductions. She said that the MTA will offer resume-writing courses, workshops and counseling to those affected by the layoffs.

The MTA will also divert $6.7 million in stimulus funds once intended for capital projects and slash overtime possibilities by $5 million to help balance its operating budget.

Even with those savings, the department still faces a $19.6 million shortfall, which it must reconcile by the end of this fiscal year in June.

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