CHICAGO – Two key negotiators walked out on a Wednesday meeting aimed at resolving a bitter legislative stalemate over mass-transit funding and casino expansion that House Speaker Michael Madigan said devolved into “nonproductive shouting.”

Gov. Rod Blagojevich called the meeting with top lawmakers and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley to try to break a logjam over transit funding, casino expansion and a massive statewide construction program – projects that all have stalled because of contentious relations among lawmakers during a protracted legislative session.

There appeared to be little consensus Wednesday, with disagreements continuing over the best solution for transit funding and how many more new casinos there should be to generate money for the state.

The governor invited top legislative leaders to meet with him again on Thursday.

Daley was the first to leave Wednesday’s meeting. When he left, Daley said he was “very optimistic,” but his spokeswoman, Jacquelyn Heard, later said the mayor was also frustrated because he felt there had not been enough discussion about the Chicago Transit Authority’s immediate needs.

Two short-term bailouts have so far kept the CTA and suburban transit agencies from increasing fares and cutting service, but that money runs out in January.

Madigan was the next to go after he said the meeting “deteriorated to a nonproductive level.”