CHEYENNE - Two property tax relief bills easily passed the Senate Wednesday and have only two more steps before they become law.

Both House Bill 92 and House Bill 151 expand existing property tax refund programs for needy people.

The House today will vote on Senate changes before the bills can go to the desk of Gov. Dave Freudenthal.

Sens. Charles Scott, R-Casper, and Cale Case, R-Lander, spoke against House Bill 92 and were the only two senators to vote against it.

A bill sponsored by Scott to reduce the assessment rate on all residential property never came up in the Senate. He said Wednesday this his bill was one way to give citizens the broad-based property relief they need in a time of escalating property values.

Scott estimated that residential property values have risen by 30 percent in the last two or three years.

"My 'no' vote is a protest of the inability of the Legislature to deal with this problem," Scott said.

Although he didn't urge his fellow senators to vote against the bill, he said it is "basically a welfare program and does not meet the need for relief for all our constituents."

Sen. Jayne Mockler. D-Cheyenne, and Sen. Grant Larson, R-Jackson, said they, too, are frustrated at the limited options open to the Senate.

But they said the bill would help many homeowners. Mockler said property owners can apply to state government for the refund if they don't want to take their financial information to the local courthouse.

Case objected to the increase from $25,000 to $50,000 in the amount of assets allowed for each household member to qualify for a property tax refund.

This amount is "huge," he said, and pushed him into voting against the bill.

House Bill 92 raises the income threshold for the revised property tax refund program to two-thirds of the median income of the county or the state.

Qualified homeowners must have been residents of the state for five years.

The original program was expected to help 19,000 people in 2006, but only 600 people applied.

House Bill 151 increases the income levels for the long-standing tax rebate program for the elderly and disabled. The bill passed the Senate 29-1, with no debate.

HB 151 allows tax refunds for people over age 65 or who are totally disabled. To qualify, a single person must have an income of less than $17,500 annually. A married couple can quality with up to $28,000 in annual income.

The refund is for property and sales taxes and motor vehicle fees.

The current law gives tax refund to elderly or disabled people with income up to $13,500 for singles and no more than $22,000 for married couples.

Contact Joan Barron at joan.barron@trib.com or by phone at 307-632-1244.