Overland Park ? In their first head-to-head debate, the state’s four leading gubernatorial candidates discussed education funding, legalized gambling and abortion.

Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius, the top Democratic candidate for governor, told the 120th annual meeting of the Kansas Bar Assn. on Saturday that the state should stop talking about the need to better fund public schools and tackle the problem.

Sebelius, who has not said whether she would raise taxes to support schools, told the audience that education funding had not kept pace with inflation.

“That’s unfair to our children who need to compete in the 21st century,” she said.

Three Republican candidates also were in attendance: state Treasurer Tim Shallenburger, Wichita Mayor Bob Knight and state Senate President Dave Kerr. The only candidate who did not attend was Republican Dan Bloom of Eudora.

The 90-minute forum also featured the four candidates for attorney general.

Shallenburger, who is opposed to tax increases, said the state’s budget had grown twice the rate of inflation in the past five years.

Raising taxes, as the legislature did this session, is the wrong approach, he said.

“I don’t think that’s good economic development,” Shallenburger said.

Shallenburger, who lives in Baxter Springs, said school districts should be allowed to raise taxes on their own. Currently, school funding is funneled through the state and allocated to districts based largely on student enrollment.

Knight said the state was rich in potential but was underperforming. Saying the state had grown complacent, Knight pledged to prepare Kansas for the new global economy.

Kerr of Hutchinson said his focus would be on improving schools and the state’s business climate.

“Education and economic development ultimately go hand in hand,” he said.

The three Republicans also said they generally opposed any expansion of gambling in Kansas. Sebelius said she had supported gambling if county residents were given an opportunity to vote on the question.

On abortion, Kerr and Sebelius said they supported current Kansas law. Shallenburger said he favored more restrictions on late-term abortions. Knight said he would seek compromises between abortion-rights advocates and abortion opponents.

All four attorney general contenders Republicans Phill Kline, David Adkins and Charles McAtee and Democrat Chris Biggs agreed that if elected, their job would be to uphold the abortion law, not to advocate changes in it.