"We're in a dilemma," Rep. Harry Ott, D-Matthews, said while addressing members of the South Carolina School Boards Association at the Crowne Plaza Resort. "The coalition you build will determine the final outcome.
"This train is already at full speed. It's going to be difficult now to slow it down."
Ott, Rep. Bill Cotty, R-Columbia, and Sen. Wes Hayes, R-Rock Hill, also shared their views on property tax relief as part of a panel discussion featured in the association's two-day Legislative Advocacy Conference.
Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head Island, was scheduled to participate in the discussion but was unable to attend due to illness, said Porter Stewart, the association's president.
Property tax reform has long been a heated issue for many state residents. The controversy flared in October when state senators announced that they planned to draft a bill that would eliminate property taxes for school operating costs by increasing the state sales tax by 2 cents.
"If you lose your taxing authority locally, then (the General Assembly becomes) the big school board -- and we've got enough to do already," Hayes said, drawing a loud applause from the crowd.
Since senators announced their intentions in October, a joint Senate subcommittee has approved sending drafted constitutional amendments to the full Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.
One amendment would revamp property tax reassessment, while the other would limit local governments' spending. Both issues were addressed by the legislators Saturday.
"Make no mistake about it, this is about whether people are paying a disproportionate amount of property taxes on their home," Cotty said. "Property taxes will be less, but it should not be zero."
Hayes said that placing caps on local governments would only worsen problems of inequity within the state, even though some fear the governments would see the property tax void as an opportunity to raise taxes.
The issue of property tax relief is expected to be the biggest one addressed by the General Assembly next year, the legislators said. One way or another, they said, the property tax bills will be decreased.
But what impact that has on school districts will be a point of contention that ultimately shapes the legislation, the lawmakers said.
Hayes argued that the legislation could infringe on home rule by eliminating the ability of the school district to go to voters when facing a deficit.
Ott said property taxes are needed by schools but hard on people with fixed incomes. In any case, it's the education community that must speak up on the issue, the legislators said.
"Public education can't just sit on its fanny and hope somebody will advocate for it," Cotty told the educators. "You've got to do that."