Topeka ? A divided and partisan House returns today to put the finishing touches on a $92.7 million school-finance plan that would result in local property tax increases statewide.

The measure crafted by House Republican leaders was advanced Tuesday on a 63-62 vote, and faces a final vote this morning.

House Majority Leader Clay Aurand, R-Courtland, predicted it would be approved.

“I think it will get 63 votes,” he said. “We apparently talked to the right amount of people.”

If approved, the measure would face an uncertain future in the Senate, whose leaders have de-nounced the proposal’s re-liance on local property tax increases to infuse new funds to public schools.

Also Tuesday, a Senate committee continued hearings on a proposal from that chamber’s Republicans to enhance state aid to districts — currently about $2.6 billion — with a one-year infusion of $65 million.

Senate Education Chairman Dwayne Umbarger, R-Thayer, said his committee would meet today with the goal of endorsing both the Senate GOP plan, which relies in part on higher alcohol taxes, and the first year of a plan offered by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, which would cost $137 million.

The governor’s plan, to give school districts an additional $304 million over three years by raising state taxes on sales, property and personal income, has not been embraced in either chamber.

On Tuesday, 62 of the 63 votes for the House bill came from Republicans, while 44 Democrats and 18 Republicans voted against it.

House advances schools plan; Senate panel works on alternatives House roll call on GOP school finance plan House GOP school-finance plan ‘frustrates’ superintendents (3-21-04) Senate GOP’s school finance plan would target drinkers (3-20-04) More about school finance

Under the plan, local school districts could choose to eliminate the current exemption of the statewide 20-mill levy on the first $20,000 of appraised property value.

Democrats argued the measure would broaden the funding gap between poor and wealthy school districts, because wealthier districts would have a greater ability to increase local taxes.

“This bill doesn’t make any sense,” said Rep. Marti Crow, D-Leavenworth. “It’s designed to serve a handful of districts.”

But House GOP leaders described it as a stopgap measure for tight economic times, one that would avoid a statewide tax increase.

“I haven’t seen 63 people who say they are supportive of a tax increase,” Aurand said.

The plan also would commit $28.4 million in state funds to increase funding of programs for at-risk students and students who are learning English. That revenue would come from lottery funds, tobacco settlement funds and some unclaimed property, officials said.

In addition, the plan would include a new cost-of-living adjustment, in which 16 property-rich districts, including Lawrence, would be able to increase local property taxes to make up for the high costs in those districts.

If Lawrence took advantage of the local tax increases, the school district would receive about $2.5 million in additional funding.

But many local legislators have voiced opposition to the proposal, saying it unfairly shifted the funding of schools from the state level to the local level.