SPRINGFIELD - With the state budget deadline looming Thursday, Gov. Rod Blagojevich asked House Democratic leaders Monday for feedback on what programs they want more money for, and how they want to get it.

''They should propose a budget that they think they can support, they should tell us how far they think they can go with regard to education funding, with regard to health care, and with regard to a lot of the other considerations that are on the table,'' Blagojevich said.

After a two-and-a-half-hour, closed-door meeting with Blagojevich Monday, many House Democrats remained skeptical about a compromise coming soon.

''I think today helped the members to know what to look forward to in the next couple of days, but I don't see it as any closer at all,'' said state Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley.

If Democrats don't approve a budget plan by Thursday, they'll need to let Republicans in on the negotiations because more votes will be needed. Blagojevich has said he wants to avoid that if at all possible.

State Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, said that three days could produce results if the leadership finds common ground.

''I think it's just a little early to be saying whether there was movement or not,'' he said.

Blagojevich's first plan to hit businesses with a $7.6 billion tax to pay for universal healthcare and other programs was rejected by lawmakers last month. But the governor's chief legislative ally, state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville, said the governor is willing to ''entertain any reasonable ideas'' to find the money somewhere else.

''He's willing to negotiate,'' Hoffman said. ''He's willing to talk about issues as long as they meet the fundamental goals of providing education funding, health care funding and jobs and infrastructure.''

Among the potential sources of cash is an expansion of state gambling - a proposal that won't be received warmly by some lawmakers.

In January, House Republicans laid out plan to raise the number of slot machines at existing casinos to raise money for roads and other infrastructure.

But last week, a Senate panel approved a more substantial expansion that would include licensing several new casinos in northern Illinois in order to find more money for government programs.

But the Illinois House voted two years ago to abolish riverboat casinos in the state. That plan never made it to the governor's desk, but the vote raises questions about whether a major expansion of gambling would be embraced by the House this year.

''I think that's a tough vote for a lot of legislators,'' said state Rep. John Bradley, a Marion Democrat who sponsored the 2005 gambling prohibition.