Associated Press - August 6, 2009 9:54 PM ET

BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick strongly disagrees with the decision of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority board to pay its general manager $327,000 to step down.

The governor said late Thursday that the compensation agreement "is out of line" with the fiscal condition of the debt-laden MBTA and Daniel Grabauskas' (grab-BOW'-skuss) the job performance. The agency has been hurt by a high debt load, declining sales tax revenue and costly environmental settlements stemming from the Big Dig project.

Patrick's comments came shortly after Transportation Secretary James Aloisi and members of the T's board of directors agreed to pay Grabauskas to step down. His contract, $255,000 annual salary and benefit package had extended into next May.

Grabauskas' ouster came after Patrick said he has safety concerns following two Green Line crashes in the past year.

Grabauskas says Patrick and Aloisi - both Democrats - attacked him because he was Republican.

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