The State Senate has passed an income tax cut:

The Georgia Senate on Friday overwhelmingly backed a 10 percent cut in the state income tax over the next five years.

The income tax cut, which passed 49-6, was the chamber's counter to a bill the House passed to eliminate the tax Georgians pay on their cars.

Now the two chambers will have to decide which tax cut, if any, to give final approval by the time the 2008 session ends. The session is supposed to close next Friday.

The Senate also passed another measure that would eliminate the .25 mill tax Georgians pay on their property, a savings of $90 million.

The income tax cut measure, when fully implemented, would save Georgians $1.2 billion. However, it would have minimal impact on Georgians this year. It would take effect July 1, and Georgians would see a small reduction in the amount of money the state takes out of their paycheck.

According the Political Insider, the cut also has the support of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), Georgian Municipal Association (GMA) and the National Taxpayers Union.

Richardson's plan left too many holes, such as the state having to subsidize car ad valorem payments to counties, that would have required some sort of funding, which could have resulted in a separate tax increase.