A bill intended to revamp vehicle property tax laws is winding through the Senate.

On Friday, senators voted 17-9 to advance SB50 to a final reading in the Senate after lengthy debate over whether the bill would simply shift the tax burden to home-owners.Sponsored by Sen. George Mantes, D-Tooele, the bill proposes establishing a fee system for car taxes - at $100, $80, $60, $40 and $20 - and recouping the rest of the $143 million collected annually by adjusting property taxes on homes. He said 95 percent of Utahns will save money.

Others, such as Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, are concerned vehicle tax revenues will be reduced to the point that homeowners - particularly those on fixed incomes - will have to make up the difference.

Sen. Robert Montgomery, R-North Ogden, said he believes the bill is fraught with constitutional problems.

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Mantes countered that the "constitutional note" on the bill was attached by legislative attorneys only because his tax strategy has never been tried.

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