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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Democrats and Republicans in Pennsylvania have split sharply on legislation linking college tuition aid to the legalization of video poker machines, clashing over what to do about the spiraling cost of education.
The proposal by Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell is the biggest step taken in his six years in office to address the cost of a college education.
Significant challenges await the legislation, including a threat by the state's slot-machine casino owners to seek repayment of their $50 million in license fees on grounds that the machines' legalization violates an agreement not to expand gambling.

