(Columbia-AP) April 4, 2006 - Senators sent a property tax relief bill to the floor Tuesday, despite knowing it will not survive debate intact.

The latest proposal made it out of subcommittee on a three to two vote. It was passed out of the full Finance Committee with a 12 to eight vote.

Republican Senator Larry Grooms says the proposal "stinks like July road kill."

The bill could be debated on the floor as early as Thursday.

The new plan will cover the blank space of a skeleton bill already sent to the floor.

Senators are in a rush to debate some sort of property tax plan before the budget hits the Senate floor.

The latest proposal would raise the state sales tax by a penny, to six cents starting on June first of 2007. The relief would go toward school operating taxes on owner-occupied homes and personal cars.

A third component would tie relief to household income, so that no homeowner would spend more than five percent of their income on property taxes.

Posted 8:15pm by Chantelle Janelle