Democrats, the minority party in both chambers, first asked for a change in how the House will vote on property taxes. When that request was rejected, the Democrats accused Republican representatives of "stacking the deck" against them to ensure smooth sailing for GOP-backed plans.

The House is set to begin debate on the proposals next week.

Currently, representatives will first decide whether to allow South Carolina residents to amend the state constitution when they go to the polls this fall. Voters would determine whether property taxes should be rolled back for homeowners and whether to change when home values are reassessed.

If the House approves that measure, representatives would then start working on how to pay for the decrease in property taxes, how the new revenue would be distributed and when counties should update a home's worth.

That second piece of legislation now calls for the state sales tax to be raised from 5 percent to 7 percent, for sales tax on groceries to be eliminated and for homes to be reassessed only when sold or substantially improved.

Democrats say the order of the bills should be switched: Once the details are ironed out, then legislators should vote on whether to alter the constitution.

"I want to make sure before I vote on a constitutional amendment that I'm not voting on something that hurts the people I represent," said House Minority Leader Harry Ott, D-St. Matthews. "I believe it's a simple fairness issue."

House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, said rules require that the bills be considered in the order they were introduced.

House Majority Leader Jim Merrill, R-Daniel Island, said it makes sense to deal with the constitutional amendment first. If it doesn't pass, the other bill becomes moot, he said.

"The whole thing about order is absurd," he said. "If we're not serious, why go through the wrangling?" But he added, "Does it put people on the spot to pass property taxes? Yes."

Democrats don't want to be on record as killing property tax relief nine months before the general election, Merrill said.

"Let's do this thing right and fair," said Rep. Kenneth Kennedy, D-Greeleyville. "I'm looking for the leadership not to ramrod this bill down our throats."

Republicans pledged they will not stem debate on the tax-swap bill short. That is, Harrell said, as long as the debate is substantive and not meant to prevent a vote.