Today marks Senate Finance chairman Hugh Leatherman’s birthday. So staffers celebrated Thursday with a cake for the Florence County Republican in the midst of budget talks.

“I told my staff that I only intend to serve 32 more years,” Leatherman, 75, said.

To which Sen. Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, replied to the diminutive chairman: “I’m going to start calling you little Strom.”

SCHMOOZING

Where and from whom state lawmakers will be able to get free food and drinks

• Lunch: Noon, State House grounds, hosted by S.C. State Firefighters Association.

• Evening reception: 6:30 p.m., Cantey Building at State Fairgrounds, alumni barbecue, hosted by The Citadel Alumni Association.

MORE ON THE WEB

What you can find online at thestate.com

• Our inside look at the 2006 General Assembly. Online items include how to track bills, a list of important dates, story lines to watch and profiles of key lawmakers.

• YGA Today, midday news from inside the State House, is updated several times each legislative day.

• Our searchable list of state employee salaries for workers earning more than $50,000 a year.

A QUICK SPIN AROUND THE STATE HOUSE

The Senate ended debate on changing the state property tax system exactly where it started the week: with no consensus and little momentum.

And, said Sen. Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, the clock is beginning to tick down on the self-proclaimed deliberative half of the General Assembly.

The Senate has one week to wrap up tax discussion before the budget hits the floor. If that happens, McConnell said, the chances of passing statewide reform diminish further.

“There’s still a good chance,” McConnell said of passing a plan, “but if the budget debate lags on and a filibuster breaks out here, it’s going to become very iffy.”

The Senate spent two hours Thursday discussing a plan by Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley, that would eliminate school operating taxes for all property. To pay for the $2.4 billion proposal, Grooms plan would raise the state sales tax 2 cents on the dollar. Cigarette, alcohol and other fees would also increase. The plan would also impose a state property tax on everything except owner-occupied homes.

Grooms said choosing from a number of revenue sources eased the hardship on business and other taxpayers. But opponents said the plan was too complicated.

“Your intentions are good,” said Sen. David Thomas, R-Greenville, “but you are creating chaos with this issue.”

McConnell and lawmakers said at least three other proposals would be discussed. The Senate will resume debate on Tuesday.

PROPERTY RIGHTS

A bill limiting governments’ ability to take private property was advanced by a Senate subcommittee without the broader restrictions on local zoning contained in a House-passed plan.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is likely to take up the bill next week.

The measure limits eminent domain, the authority that allows private property to be taken for public use.

Lawmakers have been moved to act by a 2005 ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court in a Connecticut case that opened the door for governments to take property from private owners for private developers.

PRICE GOUGING

A bill increasing law enforcement’s ability to criminally prosecute cases of price gouging gained approval in a Senate subcommittee.

The legislation, which cleared the House in February, allows the attorney general to use the state’s price gouging laws when the president issues a disaster declaration somewhere in the United States. Current law says criminal charges can’t be brought unless the governor declares a state of emergency in South Carolina.

Someone convicted of criminal price gouging, a misdemeanor, could be fined up to $1,000 or imprisoned for up to 30 days, per transaction.

The Senate bill now heads to the full Judiciary Committee.