Lawrence teachers and the district reached a quick decision on a salary increase for the fall. The average teacher’s pay was to be raised from $22,224 to $24,090. A beginning teacher’s salary was increased from $13,480 to $14,994. The 8.4 percent increase would be funded from state aid and a local tax increase.

As a trade-off for getting to vote on liquor by the drink, Kansas drivers were expected to face stiffer drunken driving laws as of July 1, 1985. One of the biggest changes involved the use of the blood alcohol test to determine the level of intoxication, whether the driver’s license was to be suspended, and whether the driver was eligible for a diversion agreement. The state-wide changes were not expected to bring great changes to Lawrence, which City Prosecutor Mike Glover said was already much tougher on drunken drivers than other Kansas cities.

Natural gas rates had fallen in recent months, which was good news for Lawrence residents, but bad news for the city, which collected a 5 percent franchise tax on Kansas Power & Light’s gross receipts.