ALBANY — Saying "teachers must be part of the solution," three Assembly Democrats are calling on public school teachers statewide to voluntarily give up pay raises this year to save more than $1 billion and prevent layoffs and

larger class sizes.

The letter, authored by Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, came as the Assembly was preparing its own

state budget plan that would cut $800 million or so in state school aid from Albany this year.

The Assembly education cut is far less than the $1.4 billion Senate Democrats approved in

school aid reductions as part of a nonbinding resolution on Monday. The Senate number conforms

to the amount Gov. David A. Paterson has proposed in school aid cuts to help lower a deficit that

tops $9 billion.

That Assembly Democrats — a group long accused by fiscal conservatives as being cozy

with the state's big teachers union — would call on the president of the New York State

United Teachers to help push for a pay freeze and signals the recognition by many

rank-and-file lawmakers of the state's fiscal plight.

School districts have warned that a $1.4 billion cut in school aid could result in 15,000

teacher layoffs. But the Assembly Democrats writing to NYSUT today said a pay freeze by all

teachers needs to be on the table.

"This solution alone will help districts avoid draconian lay-offs, keep vital services in

place for our children and protect programs that do so much to make our students well-rounded

individuals," the lawmakers wrote.

The letter seeking a voluntary freeze on pay increases was signed by Hoyt and Democratic

Assembly members Ginny Fields of Suffolk County and Michael Benjamin of the Bronx. Hoyt, a

Buffalo Democrat, said more of his Democratic colleagues have expressed a possible interest in

signing on.

In an interview, Hoyt said the voluntary pay freeze by teachers will avoid the mass layoffs

predicted that will affect both teachers and students.

"Organized labor has traditionally had a mantra of injury to one, injury to all. And the

prospect of over 10,000 layoffs, if you accept what David Paterson and the State Senate have

proposed, would be a tragedy — and it's avoidable," Hoyt said.

The letter was written to NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi, who could not be reached for

immediate comment.

The clock is running out on the chances for an on-time budget by the end of the fiscal year

on March 31. Lawmakers are due to take an 11-day break for the religious holidays starting

Saturday, though there is much talk about possibly working through the weekend if any progress

is made in the coming days.

The Democratic-controlled Senate on Monday passed a resolution, along party lines, that

accepted many of the cuts Paterson proposed, including to education, health care and other

popular programs. It also rejected a number of tax hikes, including $1 per pack on cigarettes

and a sugar-flavored beverage tax, as well as a plan by Paterson to permit wine sales in

supermarkets.

How serious the Assembly is about slowing the growth of the budget will be known with its

plan to reduce school aid payments. Lawmakers say one number under discussion is to cut about

$800 million from last year's level for education funding — $600 million less than

sought by Paterson and the Senate.

The state spends about $20 billion on aid to public schools. Some districts, like Buffalo,

are heavily dependent on the flow of money from Albany.

New York spends more per pupil — about $15,546 — than any other state and about

61 percent above the national average, according to the Paterson administration. The letter

from the Assembly Democrats to NYSUT said public school teachers in New York are among the

nation's highest.

The Assembly Democrats defended the teacher salaries.

"Still, teachers must be part of the solution if New York is to address the long-term

challenges it faces," the letter to NYSUT said.

Iannuzzi, the NYSUT president, said the letter by the three Democrats fails to recognize

dollar savings already driven by teachers during the recession. He said 5,000 teachers have

been laid off the past year, and that a number of local NYSUT unions reopened contracts and

accepted zero and one percent pay hikes.

"Sacrifices are being made by teachers," Iannuzzi said.

The NYSUT leader said lawmakers also need to look at raising taxes on wealthy New Yorkers.

"What I see is a message that says working people need to sacrifice and those who have been

successful during this difficult economy do not," he said. "I keep hearing about shared

sacrifice and I don't see the Legislature addressing the revenue side of the shared

sacrifice."

Iannuzzi said the $800 million in school cuts the Assembly is "a number we can work from."

He said lawmakers should be quickly passing an early-retirement incentive plan to encourage

higher-paid, older teachers to leave the payroll.