SOURCE: Chicago Daily Herald

(Springfield, IL) – Illinois would license bookies and let floating casinos move slot machines ashore, under a controversial gambling plan key Democratic leaders are pushing to come up with added billions for state spending.

At the heart of the proposal unveiled last week are four new casinos - to be in Chicago, Waukegan, near O'Hare International Airport and the south suburbs. Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones Jr., both Chicago Democrats, back the casino deal as they scramble for funding facing a Thursday state budget deadline.

But the fine print of the current plan is raising both eyebrows and opposition at the Capitol.

As proposed, the state would legalize and license bookies to take horse racing bets over the phone or Internet. Horse tracks would be able to create electronic poker networks that could allow people to gamble online from their homes.

In addition, casinos could move gambling machines to their docks. And, the investors in the failed Rosemont casino bid would gain preferential treatment for the new casinos and their past losses would count as part of any bid for a new casino license.

Without getting into the specifics, Blagojevich reiterated his support for gambling expansion Monday if it means it'll finance his multibillion-dollar health care expansion. In 2002, he was elected on a campaign pledge to oppose gambling expansion.

"But I'm willing to hold my nose if it means health care for every citizen of our state," Blagojevich said.

Blagojevich's comments came after he met for more than two hours behind closed doors with House Democrats in an effort to resolve budget differences and adjourn before June 1, after which Republicans gain a seat at the bargaining table.

It appears, however, that Blagojevich and lawmakers remain at odds both on what should be in the budget and how to pay for it. Many lawmakers don't share Blagojevich's health care priority, instead saying the money should go toward education spending.

But the governor refused to back down and challenged House Democrats to come up with their own spending plan.

That wasn't well received given Blagojevich's penchant habit of not being at the Capitol when lawmakers are in session.

"Instead of the governor traveling around the state for those many months, I wish he would have spent the time doing exactly what happened today," said state Rep. Jack Franks, a Woodstock Democrat. "If we would have had a frank discussion, we wouldn't be in the potential crisis we're staring down in the next 72 hours."

• Daily Herald staff writer Nate Hoekstra contributed to this report.