The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board members who voted last December for a fare increase were likened to the Grinch who stole transit. After proposing a fare reduction Tuesday, the chairman of the board is now being called Santa.

“I didn’t consider myself the Grinch then, but it’s nice to be called Santa,” the chairman of the MTA, Peter Kalikow, said yesterday.

Some board members, however, are upset that the recommendations for using the MTA’s $928 million surplus, up to $100 million of which would cover the fare reduction, was faxed to their offices after business hours Tuesday.

A board member, Mitchell Pally, said he would have preferred the issue of the surplus, first raised in July, to have been put on the agenda at the board’s latest meeting in September. That way, “the staff would have the benefit of the view of board members before they came up with this series of recommendations,” Mr. Pally said.

Both Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki applauded the proposal to give riders discounts on unlimited ride Metro-Cards and $1 fares on weekends between Thanksgiving and the New Year.

The Democratic mayoral candidate, Fernando Ferrer, lashed out at the mayor for supporting the plan, which he called an “election-year present.” Mr. Ferrer criticized the mayor, who he said has reduced the amount of money contributed by the city to the MTA during his term in office.

“Everyone likes stocking stuffers, but a real Christmas gift would be a mayor who’s willing to focus year-round on the city’s 5 million commuters,” Mr. Ferrer said.

Mr. Kalikow said yesterday that the givebacks did not eliminate the possibility of a fare hike in 2007.

“Can the 2007 fare increase be eliminated? Reduced? Can it be postponed until 2008? And is that a better way to use the funds?” Mr. Pally asked. “I would have been interested to hear the views of my fellow board members before this. Now I only find out afterward.”

Another board member criticized the staff of the MTA for not increasing the frequency of trains during nights and weekends, just as the Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road have done.

“The same should apply to people who ride the subways and buses who experience crowding,” a non-voting member of the board, Andrew Albert, said. “We have the lion’s share of users, we should be getting increased service as well.”

The proposal floated by the executive director of the MTA, Katherine Lapp, suggests increasing off-peak and late night service for both railroads. No increase in off-peak service is scheduled for buses and subways, though the memo proposed delaying cuts in bus service.

The head of the City Council’s transportation committee, John Liu, said the MTA was sending out mixed signals and needed to create a long-term plan for the money that was consistent with the needs outlined in the authority’s capital plan. Lacking funding, the MTA cut scheduled station rehabilitations.

“Everything in the memo all sounds great, but there is still no strategic thinking, no logic,” he said. “Someone at the MTA is completely off their rockers.”