COLUMBIA, S.C. - "Bingo" was the one of the first words spoken Tuesday as senators began debating Gov. Mark Sanford's plan to lower the state's top income tax rate.

Sen. Brad Hutto proposed an amendment to the tax plan that would led the Catawba Indian Nation open a high-stakes bingo operation in Orangeburg County near Interstate 95.

"This will bring eleven hundred jobs," the Orangeburg Democrat said. "We will be bringing money into the coffers of this state."

The tribe wants to build an electronic bingo hall in Santee, but they need the General Assembly to pass legislation allowing the operation.

The Catawbas have said if the General Assembly does not pass the legislation before it adjourns, they will put video gambling machines on their reservation near Rock Hill.

The Catawbas recently sued in federal court to assert they have the right to operate the video gambling machines, which the state outlawed in 2000.

Sanford's spokesman Will Folks said the governor does not think a 1993 agreement allows a bingo operation in Santee to use video bingo terminals, and it would be illegal for the Catawbas to operate the machines on the reservation.

After nearly three hours, Hutto's amendment was ruled out of order and an attempt to overrule that failed with a 17-25 vote.

That vote, however, raised questions whether supporters of Sanford's plan would be able to muster the 28 votes needed to shut down a filibuster that loomed Tuesday night.

Sen. John Land, a Manning Democrat expected to lead the filibuster, began talking just after 6 p.m. on another amendment. Land said the corporate income tax laws needed to be changed, with smaller corporations getting $97 million in tax breaks - putting them at the same rate larger corporations pay.

But Land's intent was clear as he railed against Sanford's income tax plan. He took aim at capping state spending growth for state agencies at $100 million a year. Limits like that "wouldn't even be keeping up with inflation. You'd be dying on the vine. ... You would be destroying your state," Land said.

The Senate's version of the plan does a little better at $150 million a year, Land said. But still, "we're going to starve government. ... What are we trying to accomplish?"

Sen. Greg Ryberg, R-Aiken, said $1 billion in lost tax collections over time are only a small part of the $10 billion that state budget will grow to. Government doesn't need all that money, he said. "How piggy can government be?" he asked.

Not long afterward, the Senate decided to go home for the day, leaving the fate of a key agenda item for Sanford unresolved.

Income tax supporters said they had to because too many people had gone home for the day. They said that won't happen Wednesday because they'll object to any member wanting to leave early.

The day's biggest accomplishment was "the fact that we got started," Sen. Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, said. Leatherman said the plan is to force members to stay until a deal is made to pass the bill. "That resolve will be there."

"We're going to lock down on this issue and resolve it," Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston said. "This is one of those issues where you've just got to wear the chamber out."

Land says opponents are willing to spend as much of the remaining five days of the Legislative session as they need trying to derail Sanford's plan. Republicans, he said, confided in him that they want Democrats to kill the proposal. "This is a game," he said.

Sanford said he doesn't think that's happening and wasn't dissapointed with the day's progress. "They're committed to bringing this to a vote," Sanford said.