Thursday, Dec. 5, 1985
Campus/Area
University Daily Kansan
9
Gambling, lottery favored
Survey reveals voter support
United Press International
TOPEKA — Strong voter support for a sales tax increase, a state lottery and parimutuel gambling were revealed yesterday in a survey for the Kansas Board of Education.
the survey, conducted by Jack Skillett, dean of the College of Education at Emporia State University, shows 66 percent of Kansans surveyed supported a 1 percent increase in the state sales tax as a means to raise teacher salaries. Creation of a state lottery was supported by 70 percent of those surveyed, while parimutuel gambling drew 57 percent support.
The results were obtained from a random sample of 880 Kansans, chosen from 1 million telephone
listings, who were asked 19 questions. Skillett only revealed results of three questions in his preliminary report. Complete results will be available in early 1986.
Skillett said the survey revealed increased support for a sales tax hike, more than in surveys conducted in previous years.
When asked whether they would support an increase in the state sales tax from 3 percent to 4 percent as a means of raising more money for teacher salaries, 28 percent of respondents said they strongly favored an increase, 12 percent strongly opposed and 50 percent fell in between or didn't answer.
"Support for a sales tax increase may be found in all income groups, although those who are in the top two
income groups supported the sales tax with a higher plurality than respondents in the two lower groups," Skilllet said.
The strongest support for a tax hike was in east central Kansas. Republicans were more in favor of an increase than Democrats.
When asked whether they would support a lottery to raise more money for public education 42 percent said they were strongly in favor. 16 percent strongly opposed and the other 42 percent fell in between or didn't answer.
When the same question was asked about patrimutuel betting, 33 percent were strongly in favor, 23 percent strongly opposed and 44 percent fell in between or didn't answer.
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After reflecting on the ease with which a Kansas University student recently obtained the handgun she used to kill herself, City Commissioner David Longhurst asked if the City Commission could institute a three-day waiting period to purchase a handgun. Although the police chief of Junction City—where such a waiting period is required—says this regulation has "solved a lot of problems for us," Dave Conover, a researcher with the National Rifle Association's (NRA) Institute for Legislative Action, in Washington, D.C. holds that Junction City's crime rate is higher than Lawrence's.
A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT THE HANDGUN GLUT
Says Mr. Conover: "The lesson here is if Lawrence wants to join those cities with waiting periods, it may also be joining their high crime rates." John Barrett, a local attorney and NRA enthusiast, feels the records that work from the implementation of a waiting period couple with the enforcement of weapons. Both of these statements contain what, in his book *Dont Die, People Do*," Gune Don't Die, People Do". The character Pete Shields calls the NRA's "Big Scare tactic."
Says Mr. Shields: "Until the 1960's...the NRA was...a group of outdoormen who enjoyed hunting and shooting." It is what he said: "an aggressive, negative, and even obstructionist force in regard to any form of handgun control." According to Mr. Shields: "licensing and registration (Commissioner Longhurst, remember, is only suggesting a three-day waiting period) are, or should be, duties of citizenship" whereby a law-abiding Baxter assumes responsibility ("for a deadly commodity he has chosen to own." The waiting period) is the first step toward compliance that in this case the record-keeeping is extreme right wing and part of their "Communist conspiracy" theme by which handgun control advocates are pictured as "dupes of the Commies who want to disarm America." Such people have, very little faith in the American people and in American democracy.
Det. David Revell, chairman of the Lawrence Police Officers Asas., feels "There's no need for it (a waiting period), Det. David Revell also a liability question involved. If police say 'No, you can't have a gun,' then we're playing with a person's right to bear arms. If the police say 'Yes, you can have a gun' and then you shoot someone, that leaves us somewhat liable as well."
Evidently, neither anyone in the Lawrence Police Officers Asso. nor JPL Firearms, Inc.'s attorney, Carl Black-who claims a waiting period "would be unconstitutional" knows that during the seven-year period from 1985 through 1971, in Mr. Shields words, "five presidential commissions called for strict handgun controls, recommending a ban on the manufacture, sale, and possession of five separate occasions." (in 1975, 1886, 1894, 1939, and 1942), the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the Senate Amendment was intended to protect members of a state militia from being disarmed by the federal government."
Although state law prohibits a convicted felon from purchasing a handgun, Douglas County District Attorney Jim Flory says that anyone buying a handgun need only illify a form saying he is eligible to make the purchase and the gun is his. Because, as Mr. Flory admits, the individual's proclaimed eligibility is not checked, perhaps Det. Reavis would agree that for each such act of official negligence our government should be liable.
Mr. Conover thinks "An isolated incident (the recent suicide) is not enough reason to mandate." a waiting period. One wonders how Mr. Conover feels about the, in Surgeon General Everett C. Koope's words, "14,000 people...(who) lose their lives...in)a year...on account of handguns." John B. Walle, Detroit Health Department Director, says "You cannot deal responsibly with...the prevention of homicide...unless you deal with the issue of handguns." Because he agrees with Mr. Walter, Commissioner Longhurst has proposed that our community could begin to, in Mr. Waller's words, "deal responsibly" with the handgun gunk and its often tragic consequences. William Dann
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Kansas' teacher exam approved
2702 W. 24th Street Terrace
With little discussion, the board approved using the entire contents of the National Testing Service's Pre-Professional test as well as a professional knowledge section of the National Teachers Examination Core Battery.
The Associated Press
TOPEKA — The State Board of Education yesterday approved the contents of Kansas' teacher certification examination, which under terms of a 1984 law must be administered to all applicants for teaching certificates after May 1.
The contents of both tests have been the subject of intensive
research and review by the board during recent months. The board voted earlier this fall to investigate using the pre-professional test, generally given to students when they enter teaching schools at the university level, after the main portion of the NTE Core Battery was ruled invalid to test skills of graduates from Kansas schools of education.
During a news briefing after the meeting, board member Sheila Frahm, of Colby, said the board would approve passing scores for the exam in January. Panels of teachers and university education officials are meeting this week in
Great Bend and Topeka to set the passing marks.
In other action, the board approved revisions in a long-range state education plan, which say students in Kansas public schools should learn more about world issues and languages as well as skills to allow them to adapt to a changing job market.
The recommendations, which officials said were to update a strategic plan for the state's education system, were presented to the board Tuesday.
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