Topeka ? Having rejected four proposals to raise taxes to benefit school districts, the Senate was looking Friday at a $35 million plan relying on existing revenues — and delaying a promised 3 percent raise for state workers.

The House has already passed a $155 million school finance bill, and Senate Republican leaders hoped to get something through their chamber on the final day before legislators began a recess that ends April 28.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and her fellow Democrats panned the latest — and smallest — Senate proposal, calling it embarrassing and unfair.

“I don’t think it offers much in terms of a comprehensive plan for schools,” Sebelius said in her weekly news conference. “Most importantly, I think it takes money from other critical areas.”

The $35 million plan includes $10 million reaped from deferring a 3 percent raise for state workers for six months. The rest would come from lottery revenue, unclaimed property and a delay in buying vehicles for the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Legislators included the full pay raise in a $10.2 billion budget they sent Sebelius on Thursday.

Sen. Christine Downey, D-Newton, said the new GOP plan was ill-conceived.

“Most of us would be embarrassed to have this be the Senate position,” Downey said.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Dwayne Umbarger said he hoped his chamber approves a proposal so that he can negotiate with House members.

“I don’t know if this is the one,” said Umbarger, R-Thayer. “This either goes up or down. It will be the last one until we are back at the end of April.”

The Senate had earlier rejected two school finance proposals and defeated two others Thursday.

One of those, approved by the House last week, would generate $155 million by raising the state’s 5.3 percent sales tax to 5.5 percent and imposing a 4.5 percent surcharge on individual income taxes. Schools would receive an additional $100 per pupil, plus more money for at-risk programs, bilingual education and special education.

In addition, the plan also let school boards raise local property taxes by up to $120 million with voter approval.

Also rejected Thursday was a $59 million proposal from Senate leaders that also relied partly on raising the sales tax.

Sebelius backs the House-approved plan, having seen both chambers reject her proposal to phase in a $304 million increase in education funding over three years.

The state currently spends $2.6 billion on aid to school districts. In December, Shawnee County District Judge Terry Bullock issued a preliminary order that labeled the existing school finance formula unconstitutional and the level of funding it yields inadequate.

Bullock’s ruling, which gave legislators until July 1 to revise the funding formula, has been appealed by the state to the Kansas Supreme Court.

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New Senate plan will be added to HB 2937.