Madigan said the political reality that gambling is "the only viable way" to come up with money for a capital construction program that includes roads and bridges.
Madigan won't say how much gambling expansion he favors, but he has been meeting with House Republican leader Tom Cross about the matter.
The Senate has already passed a bill that would add a Chicago casino and two others to pay for mass transit and a $13 billion capital program throughout the state, but the House of Representatives of the state has not voted on that measure.
Speaker Optimistic
Madigan was optimistic that a separate mass transit bill to fund the Chicago Transit Authority and other commuter agencies would pass the House. Meantime, the city of Chicago and Cook County have proposed a raft of new taxes and free increases that would hit many of the same taxpayers.
''Nobody's in favor of any tax increases,'' Madigan said.
The bill needs 71 votes to pass the House. The Senate will be in session and could quickly begin working on the bill if it passes in the House.
The bill needs to clear both chambers but also to withstand opposition from Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
''We don't think that -- is the right way to bail out the CTA,'' said Blagojevich spokesman Rebecca Rausch.
The CTA, Pace suburban bus system and Metra commuter rail line have proposed an array of fare increases and service cuts, some of which will start rolling out Sunday if the state doesn't come up with more money.
The Blagojevich team has said the governor agrees with the concept of moving around sales tax money, but further discussions are needed about how to put that money back into the state budget.
The CTA, Metra and Pace have done all they can to address ''inefficiencies and improve service," a spokesman said.
As lawmakers are considering an expansion of gambling to pay for a construction program, Madigan proposed remaking the Illinois Gaming Board, the regulatory agency that oversees gaming in the state.
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