[UPDATE:] Ohio Senate Republicans decide to go with the five, instead of seventeen.

Despite their best efforts, the Senate GOP Caucus could not unite behind an alternative plan to Governor Strickland’s proposal to freeze the implementation of the final phase of the state income tax cuts begun in 2005.? Therefore, they have resigned themselves to giving the Democrats the five votes necessary to pass their modified version of the House’s plan.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Senate GOP plan delay implementation of a majority of the tax cut with the remaining hole filled by other sources, such as the casino licensing fees being paid now that Issue 3 has passed.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Carey is briefing the Governor on the Senate GOP’s this morning with a vote in his committee roughly this hour and an expected floor vote by the full Senate this afternoon.

The Senate GOP will provide just enough support, with the full backing of the Democratic Senate caucus, to get it passed.? Regardless, this fact is not enough to change the fact that the Senate Republicans, regardless of how they vote, now have equal ownership in the solution because their leadership could not find an alternative that could pass with their sizeable majority support alone.

[UPDATE:]? The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that the Ohio Democratic caucus has not yet signled that it will support the Senate GOP’s plan.? Former Senator Minority Leader Ray Miller has stated he won’t, and Minority Leader Capri Cafaro was noncommital while entering into the Caucus Room for the Senate Democrats to deliberate.? Senate President Bill Harris claims that the Senate Republicans have a “Plan B” that they believe it can pass with little or no Democratic support.? I’m doubtful.? If they had such a plan and the votes, why wouldn’t be their Plan A?