JEFFERSON CITY • St. Louis leaders' aim of gaining control of the Police Department hit a snag in the Missouri Senate on Wednesday while the city's other priority — Aerotropolis — headed toward the House, where criticism of changes has emerged.

The day's developments showed that deep divisions still threaten both issues, even though Gov. Jay Nixon called the Legislature into a special session with the expectation that they could be resolved quickly.

At the request of Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, a Senate committee delayed a vote on the local control bill to give the St. Louis Police Officers Association time to complete its annual leadership election.

Chappelle-Nadal said the police association election could demonstrate a reluctance from rank-and-file members to give up state authority over the department, an assertion that was strongly disputed by the police association's lobbyist.

Meanwhile, Aerotropolis — a package of tax breaks intended to make Lambert-St. Louis International Airport a hub for freight flown between China and the Midwest — cleared the Senate on a vote of 26-8 but in such a downsized form that some say the project is jeopardized.

House Republican leaders immediately criticized the changes the Senate made in the bill, raising the possibility of a replay of the standoff that killed the legislation during the regular session in May.

In a sign of the tension, the House surprised the Senate by adjourning until next Wednesday.

"We're going to take our time," said House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville. "We're not in any rush." He said a committee hearing on Aerotropolis might be held Friday, but it's more likely to be next week.

In response, senators left town until Wednesday, too. That means the special session will stretch into its third week.

Sen. Joe Keaveny, D-St. Louis, has championed both the local control and Aerotropolis measures. He said he believes legislators eventually will come to an agreement on Aerotropolis — which senators scaled back to a $60 million program, scrapping $300 million that would have subsidized warehouses around the airport.

But he was chagrined at the delay of the local control bill.

"I'm extremely frustrated right now," Keaveny said. "I just want to move the bill. This is just gamesmanship."

Supporters had expected the local control measure to be released Wednesday by the Senate Ways and Means and Fiscal Oversight Committee, where a routine review — limited to looking at the bill's financial impact — was expected to take place.

Instead, Ways and Means Chairman Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield, delayed a vote when Chappelle-Nadal said the police association's election would be completed by today and would show whether members are on board with the local takeover.

Jeff Roorda, a representative of the police officers group, said Chappelle-Nadal had mischaracterized the election. The results won't be certified or announced until Sept. 28. New members of the group's executive board won't take office until Nov. 1, he said.

And only four members of the organization's 18-member executive board are facing opposition, Roorda said. Because the vote to support the latest local control bill was unanimous, changing four of the 18 members won't have an impact, he said.

Currently, a five-person state board runs the department under a structure that dates to the Civil War. The governor appoints four members, and the mayor fills the final spot.

Chappelle-Nadal said she has heard from several members of the Police Department who are not happy with the deal that has been worked out by their leadership. The main sticking point continues to be residency rules, she said.

Under state control, St. Louis police officers can move out of the city after seven years with the department. Under the legislation that passed the House, officers hired before Jan. 1, 2012, would continue under those rules. Those hired after that date would have to live in the city, just as other city employees do under the city's charter.

When the bill does reach the full Senate, Chappelle-Nadal said she plans to offer several amendments, including one that would make local control of the Police Department contingent on the city changing its charter regarding residency rules.

She also plans to increase the maximum fine for governmental officials who interfere with police to $10,000. The current bill sets that fine at $2,500.

"We're inches away from local control," Chappelle-Nadal said. "If supporters can gulp a few things they find distasteful, they can have local control."

Gary Wiegert, a former president of the St. Louis Police Officers Association, testified against the measure Tuesday on behalf of the St. Louis Tea Party, arguing that the police group's leadership was only acting out of fear of a possible local control ballot initiative bankrolled by retired investment banker Rex Sinquefield.

While local control stalled, the Aerotropolis measure made progress.

Several fiscal conservatives in the Senate have fought for years to overhaul state tax credits. They praised the bill, which would reduce the state's outlay for historic preservation and low-income housing development. A state economic model shows those programs don't produce much of a financial return for the state — less than a quarter on the dollar.

"We've begun the process of steering this ship away from the iceberg," said Sen. Brian Nieves, R-Washington.

The heart of the bill is the plan to build a China cargo hub at Lambert. Senators approved $60 million in credits for companies that arrange international shipments out of Lambert.

But they removed a provision for $300 million in credits to encourage construction of warehouses, refrigerated facilities and manufacturing plants in "gateway zones" around the airport. Instead, the warehouses and plants would compete for credits under existing economic development programs.

Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, said senators had undergone "an awakening" to the realities of how tax credits work. Those that don't produce a return are "done," he said. "They need to go away."

House Speaker Tilley defended the housing development and historic tax credits. They may not return as much revenue as other credits, but by preserving cities, "They have a social component that other credits do not," he said.

Tilley did like one change senators made: preserving a tax break used by low-income people who are elderly and disabled and rent their homes. Tilley said he never supported the idea of axing that break.