CHICAGO (AP) – Top Illinois lawmakers put off the state’s most pressing financial issue yet again Thursday, as negotiations on pension reform delved into a discussion on school funding equality.

During a two-hour, closed-door meeting, legislative leaders appeared to make no headway on their major sticking point of who should pay for the retirement costs of suburban and downstate school districts.

They’ve been trying to reach an agreement after the General Assembly failed to adopt a plan during their spring legislative session to address the growing $83 billion in unfunded pension liability.