Topeka ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Monday vetoed a provision that would have financed a $50 million expansion of the KU School of Pharmacy.

Sebelius said she supported construction of a new pharmacy building on KU’s West Campus in Lawrence and expanding the pharmacy building in Wichita. But she disagreed with how the Legislature went about funding the project.

Sebelius vetoed sections in the state budget bill that would have set up three new funds to receive money from the state’s proposed casinos.

Under the legislative measure, one-third of the gambling revenue would have gone to infrastructure improvements, such as the KU pharmacy expansion; one-third to reduce state debt; and one-third for property tax relief.

Specifying how much gambling revenue went toward each area, Sebelius said “would limit the flexibility of future Legislatures to target gaming receipts toward the most important and pressing needs of the state.”

So Sebelius applied her line-item veto authority to the provision. “Because the KU School of Pharmacy was partially funded from one of those new funds, the method of funding the school must now be reconsidered,” she said.

The Legislature returns for its wrap-up session April 30. The pharmacy project has enjoyed wide support in the Legislature, so an attempt to override the veto is possible. That would required two thirds’ majorities – at least 84 votes in the 125-member House and 27 votes in the 40-member Senate.

But Sebelius urged lawmakers to adopt her proposal to issue bonds for the project. Under her plan, the debt on the bonds would be paid for by gambling revenues.

Lynn Bretz, a spokeswoman for KU, said she was confident the Legislature and Sebelius would reach an agreement that would allow the project to go forward.

“The need for pharmacists hasn’t changed,” Bretz said. “We’ve seen good support from the governor and the Legislature for pharmacy expansion, and will work with all of them so as not to let this procedural dispute prevent us from ensuring that Kansans have access to pharmacies in their communities.”