SPRINGFIELD - In a move aimed at insulating themselves from pre-election charges of being a do-nothing legislature, members of the Illinois House on Wednesday took steps toward putting a statewide construction program on the books.

The Democratic-led chamber, which has been mired in a long-running political stalemate with Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the Illinois Senate, voted 75-38 to lease the Illinois lottery to a private vendor for up to 60 years to help pay for new roads, bridges and schools.

Some Republicans described the move as little more than a nod to the upcoming election, in which Democrats who control state government are attempting to fend off Republican charges of gridlock.

"They are trying to get the monkey off their back," said state Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, who voted against the lease proposal.

Key to the GOP charges is that the Illinois Senate has made no move to take up the latest lottery lease proposal until after the Nov. 4 election. The Senate approved an earlier lottery lease proposal that went nowhere in the House.

Republicans also say the House version contains no list of projects that might be built with the proceeds of the $10 billion lottery lease.

House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, acknowledged there is little chance of any ground being broken for projects until spring because the lease transaction will take that long to complete.

Nineteen of 51 Republicans in the House voted for the plan, despite having no assurances of whether any of the money for new roads, bridges or schools would find its way to their districts.

"I don't know how real this is," said state Rep. Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville, who voted "no."

If the measure makes it through the Senate and is signed by Blagojevich, Illinois would be the first state in the nation to privatize its lottery operations.

If approved, the House plan initially would bring the state $6 billion, followed by $4 billion within the next two years. Some money would be set aside to replace money the lottery usually provides for schools.

House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has balked at previous plans to lease the lottery but said the latest version of the proposal will include safeguards to make sure the money it generates is distributed fairly and doesn't shortchange school funding.

State Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville, a Blagojevich ally, said the proposal was a "sham" because it doesn't include any language about how the proceeds would be spent.

"This, today, is a folly," Hoffman said.

kurt.erickson@lee.net|789-0865