From the Tribune:

Clout, shouts, doubts ... no deal
Governor's meeting on transit stalemate ends prematurely

By David Mendell | Tribune staff reporter
November 15, 2007

Mayor Richard Daley got his first up-close look at the state government stalemate Wednesday, bailing on a meeting with Gov. Rod Blagojevich and legislative leaders after only an hour when a chance to reach consensus on a CTA solution deteriorated into what one participant claimed were "shouts and threats."

A frustrated Daley offered little after exiting the governor's Chicago office, but his spokeswoman later said Daley left the bi-partisan meeting when the discussion turned to gambling expansion rather than fixing the mass transit crunch, with service cuts looming Jan. 20.

"Clearly the mayor understands that gaming is likely a part of the overall solution to the transit issue, but everybody knows it would take at least two years for that to happen," Daley spokeswoman Jacquelyn Heard said. The mayor "kept trying to bring the conversation around to that this morning, but to no avail ... I think he felt he said all he needed to say, and there apparently was little interest in talking about the immediate crisis."

Even though they've been talking all year, lawmakers and Blagojevich have been unable to come to terms on a deal to aid mass transit in the city and suburbs and jump-start a statewide construction program. The meeting Wednesday, called by Blagojevich, brought to the fore a nagging issue in negotiations: how minorities should participate in any package that would use new casinos as a funding source.

Democratic state Rep. Rickey Hendon of the West Side accused House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) of being insensitive to the plight of minorities, who Hendon said deserve a specified piece of new casino proceeds.

Hendon said he and other lawmakers agree that economically depressed communities should receive a small share of proceeds from new casino revenue and that minorities should be guaranteed an ownership interest in casino licenses. "I find that amazing that the chairman of the Democratic Party [Madigan] would have a problem with minority communities and depressed communities when no one else, Republicans, Senate or House, had any problems with the depressed communities' part of the legislation," Hendon told reporters.

Madigan asserted that the meeting devolved into "nonproductive shouts and threats," prompting him to leave. Other participants pointed to the squabble between Hendon and Madigan as the source of that rancor, although none categorized the discussion to be as heated as Madigan portrayed it.

"I didn't raise my voice," Hendon said. "I talk loud just naturally. I come from the West Side. You've got to talk loud just to be heard, that's all."

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said the speaker has no issue with minority communities receiving a dedicated slice of expanded gaming revenues, but he said black House members want the money to go to schools.

Transit officials, meanwhile, scheduled a Thursday morning news conference to discuss the legislative progress, or lack thereof.

The CTA has targeted Jan. 20 as its next "doomsday," when service cuts and fare hikes would occur.

"People have disagreements all the time," House Republican leader Tom Cross said. "People shout all the time, but that doesn't mean things can't get done."

Yet key elements of a funding package are still up in the air. For example, lawmakers each had different answers when asked how many new casinos were under serious consideration, with Cross saying two, Senate President Emil Jones saying three and Hendon responding four.

Despite the day's chaos, Blagojevich predicted that a solution to transit and construction funding would be reached by Thanksgiving. He called another meeting with the legislative leaders for Thursday morning.

Nevertheless, Blagojevich hinted that legislative inaction on this issue was rooted in endless political sniping. He said he opened the meeting by joking with Mayor Daley that "I'll trade my legislature for his" after Daley's City Council on Tuesday easily passed a sweeping tax increase package to boost city revenues.