Kansas
Expanded Gambling Bill Fails
As reported by the Lawrence
Journal-World: "Despite pressure from Gov.
Kathleen Sebelius, a move to expand gambling
failed in the Senate on Thursday, which also
throws into limbo proposed public school funding
increases.
"'We
were hoping to be able to utilize this for education,'
Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, said
of gambling revenue. 'We'll have to find another
way to do it.'
"…The
bill that would've allowed slot machines at
tracks and the construction of two resort-type
casinos died 16-20 with four senators passing.
"…For
Senate leadership, the vote was a setback. All
session long, observers have been handicapping
whether there were 21 votes in the 40-member
Senate to get a gambling bill out of the chamber
for the first time in more than a decade.
"Supporters
touted the measure as a way to pay for court-ordered
school funding, capture gambling revenue exported
to neighboring states and reduce property taxes…"
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