Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty shot down a $150 million request by Mayor Rob Ford, who’s known for criticizing his predecessor’s attempts to get more cash from the province.

The penny-pinching politician sent a Jan. 25 letter to Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, asking the province to provide more than $150 million to the city to fund road construction and repairs, transit projects, subsidized childcare, housing programs and services for immigrants.

Ford also wanted cash for a Fort York visitor centre.

McGuinty refused the request Monday and said it’s up to number crunchers at City Hall to solve their own financial problems. The premier noted the province isn’t in a position to hand out extra cash because it’s currently facing a near $19-billion deficit.

City council passed the $9-billion 2011 operating budget with no tax increases last week. There’s also a projected $800 million shortfall for 2012.

In his letter to Duncan, Ford said funding under the city-provincial cost-sharing agreement remains at 1995 levels, the Toronto Star reported Monday.

The mayor said he needs the extra funding to maintain the city’s 24,000 subsidized child care spots. He wrote that he needs $48.3 million to fix up roads and upgrade the city’s traffic signal system. Ford also wants $89 million over five years for new subway cars and buses and to get the new PRESTO fare payment system off the ground.

The mayor also asked the province to match the federal government’s $5 million in funding for a visitor centre at Fort York.

In the letter Ford also asks Queen's Park to renew the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program and the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement, both due to expire next month, The Star said.

To back up his refusal, McGuinty noted his government has boosted funding to Toronto by 40 per cent since elected in 2003. The province also gave the city the power to implement taxes on its own.

Ford eliminated the $60 personal vehicle tax soon after becoming mayor, leaving a $50 million revenue gap.