SPRINGFIELD - He co-chairs the governor's re-election campaign, but House Speaker Michael Madigan isn't sold on the governor's budget proposal.

Rather than work with Gov. Rod Blagojevich's spending blueprint, the speaker has suggested that negotiators start with the existing budget and only add new spending equal to what the state will receive in new revenue.

"It was a suggestion and time will go on," said Steve Brown, a spokesman for the Chicago Democrat.

The development came as the General Assembly heads toward an early, election-year adjournment, which is scheduled for April 7, but could be extended to April 12.

Republicans said Madigan's suggestion was another sign that Democrats are troubled by their own party's governor.

"They're not going to rush to the cliff and jump just to get out of here and satisfy the governor," said Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville.

A key Senate budget negotiator said it would be tough to shoehorn all the new spending ideas into a budget during an election year.

"Everybody needs that fodder to run on," said state Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago.

State Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, said Madigan's suggestion would only allow about $200 million in new programs at a time when Blagojevich and some lawmakers want to see more than $1 billion in additional spending on schools and social programs.

Hispanic senators, for example, sent a letter to Blagojevich earlier in the week calling for more money to Chicago schools. They also are opposed to the governor's proposed tuition tax credit for families of college students, saying state aid should instead target low and middle-income families.

"It's obvious that not enough discussion has taken place between the governor, the speaker and the Senate president," said state Sen. Miguel del Valle, D-Chicago.

In addition to concerns from the Latino Caucus, state Sen. James Meeks of Chicago continues to threaten to run as a third-party candidate for governor unless Blagojevich convinces him that there is a long-term plan to fund public schools.

Said Flider, "We just have a finite amount of money. So the question is: 'How do we make sure that we don't go above that mark?'"

Although Democrats appear to be girding for another year in which the state budget is approved without Republican input or support, some GOP lawmakers said Wednesday that they prefer the speaker's approach to the budget over the spending plan floated by Blagojevich in February.

"It looks like a more palatable opportunity," said state Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa.

"It's something worth considering," added state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington.

Lee Springfield Bureau reporters Chris Lusvardi and Crystal Lindell contributed to this report