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News from everywhere *but* Central New Hampshire.

Lebanon Says 'No' to Keno

Lebanon became the second New Hampshire city Wednesday to categorically say no to Keno, without putting the issue in front of voters.

State lawmakers allowed cities and towns to authorize the gambling game last year as a way to raise money for all-day kindergarten statewide. Districts are eligible for the kindergarten funding, though, whether or not they approve the game.

At Lebanon’s city council meeting Wednesday, Councilor Clifton Below argued gambling shouldn’t be the way New Hampshire funds education. “We’re not interested in playing this game of seeing the legislature punt its responsibility to figure out how to fairly and proportionally fund our necessary services,” he said.

Voters in a majority of New Hampshire cities approved Keno in November. Lebanon is late to the process because it holds its elections in March. Lebanon now joins Portsmouth in declining to put the issue on the ballot. Voters, though, also said no to Keno last November in Keene, Concord, Dover, and Rochester.

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