Hensley doing better job representing Wichita than some in our delegation

Sedgwick County finally has a state lawmaker going to bat for the majority of its citizens who want to vote on a local casino. And, of course, he’s not from here. Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, wants to let Sedgwick County residents decide for themselves whether they want expanded gaming, and in what form. “Up until now, they’ve been stifled by their own County Commission at the insistence of Sedgwick County legislators,” he said. But count on those local lawmakers to do their best to block Hensley and the will of the public.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

8 Comments

  1. mrcontroversy
    Posted March 30, 2006 at 12:42 am | Permalink

    Just one more reason why Tony’s one of the gutsiest guys I’ve ever met.

  2. Ben Huie
    Posted March 30, 2006 at 7:49 am | Permalink

    It won’t happen. Out-of-area gambling interests have invested too much money in Les, Bonnie, Joe, etc etc etc to let it happen.

  3. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted March 30, 2006 at 8:13 am | Permalink

    Gee, you dont think his newfound concern for Wichita has anything to do with unseating your jackass, hypocritical legies in November, do ya?

    Or maybe his own run for governor in 2010?

    It’s never too early to start a campaign in ks!

  4. ell
    Posted March 30, 2006 at 11:51 am | Permalink

    I called my legislator and they said that what the Topeka Senator is proposing does not mean Wichita will get a casino.

    He is only doing it because it makes for good press for him and his bill. My legislator also said that many of the legislators were opposed to the gambling expansion because they do not believe the state should own a casino. He said we would be the only state to own one.

    With that information I am concerned about coruption and I would like to know what Kansas knows that Nevada does not know. He said Nevada does not own any casinos. We need to check this our further.

  5. Ben Huie
    Posted March 30, 2006 at 12:22 pm | Permalink

    I agree that the state should not own them – however that is a red herring. There had been proposals to allow development without state ownership.

  6. mrcontroversy
    Posted March 30, 2006 at 1:07 pm | Permalink

    ell:Remember the mantra of the Kansas Legislature:”When I die, I want to come back as a bill in the Kansas Legislature. Nothing ever dies here.”

  7. Marty Venick
    Posted March 30, 2006 at 3:50 pm | Permalink

    Ben, what gambling proposal allowed for casinos that were not state owned and operated? It would take a constitutional amendment to achieve that. To date, I have yet see an amendment proposed in the legislature by anyone. Your red herring arguement is incorrect my friend.

  8. Ben Huie
    Posted March 30, 2006 at 4:00 pm | Permalink

    Marty – I think the original one being pushed by Park City would not have involved state ownership. It would have been owned by one or more of the Nations.