It's been more than a week since a local bill to capture many millions more in tax money for Horry County's units of local government was placed in the care of Horry County senators. Why haven't they passed it?

This bill should be a no-brainer. It would help our public schools and other local governments without increasing property-tax valuations or rates.

The bill, H. 4220, corrects a flaw in current S.C. tax law that allows some new-home owners to escape property taxation for up to 18 months. That same flaw allows some folks who add square footage to existing homes - pools, for instance, or family rooms - to avoid taxation on the added value for up to 18 months.

You'd think that in this cash-starved time for local governments, the Horry County Senate delegation would love to help local governments add millions to their bottom lines. You'd think, as well, that Sens. Luke Rankin, D-Myrtle Beach; Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach; Yancey McGill, D-Kingstree; and Arthur Ravenel, R-Mount Pleasant, would love to create tax equity for Horry County property owners who pay their taxes faithfully.

It's not right that their taxes support schooling for children whose parents, by virtue of buying a new home, escape taxation for up to a year and a half. It's not right that folks who pay their property taxes are subsidizing the costs of policing, fire protection, public works and the myriad other costs of government for folks who bought a new home or expanded an existing one.

The Horry County delegation to the S.C. House had no problem passing this free-ride-ending bill earlier this month. If Horry senators care about tax fairness and the health of our cash-strapped county and municipal governments, and schools, they will pass H. 4220 this week.