AUGUSTA (AP) – Democratic divisions deepened Tuesday as lawmakers reconvened after a 10-day break to resume discussions of the state budget, tax relief and new borrowing.

Senate Democrats sought to reassert their own position, declaring opposition to constitutional amendments that might limit legislative authority to raise or expend revenue even as talks on such matters involving Republicans and other Democrats continued.

House Democrats, meanwhile, announced that they were proposing a package of four bond issues totaling $78 million even as Appropriations Committee members were reported to be consulting on options.

Most significantly, Democrats in the Senate and House remained at odds over how to raise money to boost state aid to local schools and bolster existing property tax relief programs.

The Senate Democratic bloc, as announced Monday, was prepared to advance a proposal based on a 1-cent sales tax hike that could generate more than $115 million annually.

But House Democrats were being asked to back a block of so-called sin tax increases primarily hitting cigarettes that would raise more than $50 million, according to estimates.

Both plans were designed to allow higher state funding of local education, a recurring municipal demand that has resulted in a two-stage referendum showdown not due to be resolved until June.

Yet despite shared goals, at times during the day strains between the two Democratic blocs were evident as Republican House and Senate minorities were left to look on.

The first day back at the State House after the spring break was cut short at the end of the afternoon in the Senate, while the House, after a lengthy afternoon and evening recess, went back into session to work into the night.

AP-ES-04-27-04 2020EDT