Topeka ? A bipartisan coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans advanced a $155 million school tax plan Thursday — nearly triple the size of package sent to the Senate hours earlier.

On an 81-43 recorded vote, the House tentatively approved $155 million worth of increases in sales and income taxes to benefit school districts.

The bill also includes language, sought by Johnson County legislators, allowing local school boards to increase property taxes by up to $120 million, subject to voter approval.

“I think we have a Democratic Party and a few Republicans who are hell-bent on raising taxes,” said House Speaker Doug Mays, R-Topeka, whose own, no-new-tax plan had been rejected a day earlier. “This is a significant increase in taxes.”

Mays predicted the bill would go to the Senate on Friday when final action occurs.

Earlier Thursday, the House passed and sent to the Senate a $51.8 million school finance measure, which was a scaled-down version of Mays’ plan. That bill would send districts an additional $28 million next year — using existing state revenues — for bilingual education, teacher mentoring and programs for children who are at risk of dropping out of school.

The smaller bill, approved on a 68-57 vote, would also let 16 districts with a high cost of living increase their property taxes by a collective $23.5 million.

The $155 million measure, drafted by Rep. Bill Kassebaum, would raise the state’s 5.3 percent sales tax to 5.5 percent and place a 4.5 percent surcharge on individual income taxes.

Kassebaum’s bill had been rejected Wednesday but was resurrected Thursday.

Representatives debate an education finance bill at the Statehouse in Topeka. The House tentatively approved the 55 million plan Thursday.

“Obviously, Johnson County came along this time, and other parts of the state,” said Kassebaum, R-Burdick. “It’s not a perfect plan, but it’s a start.”

Rep. Cindy Neighbor, R-Shawnee, was among the Johnson County legislators backing Kassebaum’s plan.

“We need to strengthen the options that are on the table,” Neighbor said.

Kassebaum’s plan would add $100 to base state aid per pupil, bringing the figure to $3,963. The bill would also increase funding for bilingual and programs aimed at poor and minority students, and fund 100 percent of districts’ excess costs for special education.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who wants to raise aid to districts by $304 million over three years, said Thursday the smaller House bill lacks a stable stream of funding and would do little to help all districts.

She said she was pleased with the House action on the Kassebaum compromise.

“I’m hopeful that today’s vote signals the Legislature’s willingness to pass education-funding legislation that will benefit all Kansas children, particularly those who need our help to reach their God-given potential,” Sebelius said.

A preliminary order issued in December by Shawnee County District Judge Terry Bullock, which the state has appealed to the Kansas Supreme Court, put pressure on legislators to raise aid to school districts above the current $2.6 billion a year. The judge plans to make his order final on July 1, unless otherwise directed by the higher court.

The Senate has two school finance bills awaiting debate.

One, offered by Senate Republican leaders, would put an additional $65.1 million into schools partly through higher taxes on alcohol.

The other would provide an additional $137 million by increasing sales and individual income taxes. The measure contains the first year of Sebelius’ three-year plan.

School finance are Senate Substitute for HB 2004, SB 550 and HB 2937.

On the Net:

Kansas Legislature: http://www.kslegislature.org

Governor’s Office: http://www.ksgovernor.org

Kansas State Department of Education: http://www.ksbe.state.ks.us