wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

The MTA's top financial officer quietly retired last week after 30 years at the agency. As the MTA's unofficial No. 2 man, Gary Dellaverson made key financial decisions for the beleaguered transit authority.

The lanky man with wavy gray hair assumed his post when the authority was flush with money from the real estate boom. When the economy collapsed he made numerous trips to Albany to finesse last spring's rescue package. That bailout didn't prove to be large enough. This fall, facing an unexpected shortfall, he proposed a series of service cuts, which can still be averted.

The Transport Workers Union regularly vilified Dellaverson as their chief enemy. Before becoming CFO, he was director of labor relations and frequently clashed with the union, especially over a strike that failed in 2005.