Statehouse Live: Waugh opposes further cuts to schools; Panel to vote on KNI closure recommendation; Gaming commission set to destroy machines

? 1:40 p.m.

State Board of Education Chairwoman Janet Waugh urged lawmakers on Monday not to cut public school funding any more.

“It’s starting to hurt right now,” said Waugh, a Democrat from Kansas City, Kan. “We’re really starting to feel some pain.”

Waugh recommended that before lawmakers slice more dollars from education they should consider a tax increase, even though, she said, she understands people are generally opposed to paying higher taxes.

“But we’re talking about our future here, the future of Kansas and the future of this nation is sitting in these classrooms,” Waugh said.

The state has already reduced its per pupil aid by 4.8 percent this year.

Waugh’s comments came before an Education Board meeting to discuss the process for replacing Education Commissioner Alexa Posny, who is taking a job with the federal education agency.

12:10 p.m.

A state commission is considering a motion to recommend the closure of the Kansas Neurological Institute in Topeka and most of Parsons State Hospital.

The Facilities Closure and Realignment Commission is charged with studying the possible closure or realignment of state facilities in an effort to save tax dollars.

Last month, family members of KNI residents urged the commission to keep KNI operating.

The commission may vote on the issue later today.

8:50 a.m.

The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission announced that its agents will destroy several illegal gaming machines this week.

The games known as “Quarter Sliders” and “Cherry Masters” were recently confiscated from a supplier who had placed the machines in businesses across the state, the commission said.

The machines will be destroyed Thursday at the Rolling Meadows Recycling & Disposal site north of Topeka.