The Metropolitan Transportation Authority should delay its vote on fare and toll increases until next spring, 10 civic groups wrote in a letter made public Wednesday to MTA Executive Director Elliot Sander.The organizations, which include the Straphangers Campaign, the Regional Plan Association and Transportation Alternatives, argue that a vote on the hikes should not take place until March 31, after the state Legislature has considered recommendations by the traffic congestion mitigation committee, which could include new transit funding, and the MTA has submitted its capital rebuilding plan."Our groups have different positions on the MTA's proposed financial plan for 2008," the organizations wrote in the letter, which was sent to Sander Aug. 28. "But we all share the same view about the time schedule."The MTA says it needs to close a projected $6 billion budget shortfall during the next four years. The authority's board is scheduled to vote in December on a fare and toll hike that would increase revenue from riders and motorists by 6.5 percent. The MTA also is planning another increase in 2010."Our financial plan puts the MTA back on sound financial footing while actually increasing service to our rapidly growing ridership," MTA spokesman Jeremy Soffin wrote in an e-mail Wednesday. "Delaying its implementation will only lead to larger fare increases and unacceptable service cuts."