COLUMBIA - One plan is called impossible; the other unfair.
And in the middle are lawmakers pledging to push the South Carolina legislative session into extra innings if something substantial isn't done about property taxes.
"No question whatsoever," said Rep. Bill Cotty, R-Columbia. He said House negotiators are willing to vote to keep lawmakers in Columbia past June 1 if the House and Senate cannot agree on property taxes.
That will be a challenge, because both House and Senate plans differ widely.
The Senate plan would allow counties to vote to increase the sales tax to get rid of school operations or take county costs off property tax bills, or both.
The problem, critics say, is the cost makes the plan all but prohibitive. Statewide, the sales tax is 5 cents on the dollar, and many counties, including Aiken, tack on another penny. Under this plan, Aiken would have to raise its sales tax another 7 cents on the dollar to get rid of school operations and county costs - 5 cents for schools, 2 cents for counties.
"I don't think any county's going to raise their sales tax four pennies," said Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Camden.
Other counties face an even bigger challenge. Edgefield County, for example, would have to increase its sales tax 18 cents on the dollar to get rid of school operations and county property taxes.
The worst would be Fairfield County, which would have to raise its tax 29 cents.
Mr. Sheheen said counties could choose to raise their sales tax and dole out whatever property tax relief that would provide. But he doubts anyone would choose that option, because the impact on property tax bills would be insubstantial.
So there's the other option, the House option.
It would raise the sales tax 2 cents in exchange for taking school operations, municipal and county costs off property tax bills, about an 85 percent drop altogether.
The problem is twofold, critics say.
They question the fairness of the distribution formula for sending sales tax money back to counties, but they also say the plan makes everyone pay for a huge property tax relief for the state's wealthiest property owners.
Statewide, 96 percent of homes are worth less than $300,000.
In Beaufort County, for example, the average price of a home is $308,000, while those on the ocean cost millions. So while the average South Carolinian gets a couple of hundred dollars in property tax relief, many Beaufort County residents will get $3,000, $5,000, $12,000 or more, said Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head Island.
Mr. Cotty says there is nothing wrong with wealthy South Carolinians getting a greater benefit.
"Is the person who has a half-million dollar house supposed to pay for the garbage service for everyone on the block?" he asked.
Ultimately, the argument over who has the better property tax plan might be moot. As expected, a conference committee with three senators and three representatives has been formed to strike a compromise. Negotiations start Monday. But Mr. Cotty, for one, is willing to work into summer.
"It's kind of like cooking a 100-pound turkey - it'll take whatever it takes," he said.
Mr. Cotty, the lead negotiator on the House side, said representatives are committed to their plan. But last week, the House did make it easier for negotiators to select the parts of the property tax plan they favor.
Senators spent four weeks debating property taxes but never reached consensus. However, Mr. Cotty says the House has some leverage: a threat to hold up the budget and the end of session until "meaningful" and "lasting" property tax changes are approved.
"It adds a little spice to the stew," he said.
Reach Kirsten Singleton at (803) 414-6611 or kirsten.singleton@morris.com.
