The Friday lunch crowd at Northwoods Mall welcomed news of a possible tax break for homeowners, but some wondered how much it would benefit the middle class or whether schools would be hurt.

"They're ridiculous," Steve Blackman said of his property taxes. A Dorchester County resident who lives near Summer- ville, Blackman said the reassessment on his home last year increased his taxes from $4,800 to $7,400. "Why can't some of these new homes pay for all the property taxes that the schools need?"

A six-member House and Senate conference committee on Thursday unanimously approved a plan to provide homeowners $570 million in property tax relief by increasing the state sales tax a penny and dipping into surplus revenue. "It's just moving money around from one tax to another. They never talk about reducing the budget," Blackman said.

Greg Pearson of Mount Pleasant worried about schools losing out because of property tax cuts. He noted that South Carolina public schools rank near the bottom nationally. Pearson, an Air Force C-17 loadmaster, said his wife, a Wando High School teacher, makes half of what he does in annual salary.

"We're not the most highly taxed society in the world. I don't want to see schools get shortchanged," he said.

Goose Creek resident Diana Larkins, who ate lunch with her granddaughter and great-granddaughter, wondered who really benefited from the proposed tax cuts.

"I love the idea that we're going to get a break, but I wonder how much it's going to benefit the middle class," she said. "The young families today are really struggling."

As part of the proposed tax cut package, the sales tax on groceries would fall from 5 percent to 3 percent. "Now that's something good," said Clara Gilmore of Bowman. "With the gas prices and everything else, we need something cut."

Claudia Hawkins of Folly Beach said she liked the idea of paying property taxes in installments, a provision of the proposed legislation. "I don't mind paying more taxes if people benefit from it," she said.

Rodney Covington of Berkeley County pays about $1,100 each year in taxes on his home. His taxes have doubled since 1995. "I'm all for (the proposed legislation). I'm paying ridiculous property taxes," he said.

James Wilson of McClellanville, a retired United Parcel Service driver, said he thinks he should pay no taxes on his house. "Cut it completely. The smaller it is, the better it is," he said.

Senior citizen Tom Curtis of Moncks Corner saw his property taxes rise from $2,170 last year to $2,663 this year. "I like the sales tax increase if they do not penalize people for groceries," he said.

Property taxes began as a way to provide fire and police protection. "Now it's gone far beyond that," he said.

The legislation, which now goes to the full House and Senate for consideration, is part of a larger property tax package that also changes the real estate assessment system.

Reach Prentiss Findlay at pfindlay@postandcourier.com or 937-5711.