Quinn wants to withhold cities' money as pressure to borrow billions

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Pat Quinn wants to stop nearly $100 million in monthly payments to Chicago, the suburbs and other Illinois towns if lawmakers won't let him borrow billions of dollars to pay overdue bills, according to a confidential memo the Tribune obtained on Thursday.

The idea drew immediate blowback from local leaders worried about balancing their own budgets in a sluggish economy.

"To me, it sounds like they're holding us hostage," said Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki, a former Republican legislator.

The proposal, outlined in the memo and quietly distributed to top legislators, represents a pressure tactic by the Democratic governor. He hopes mayors from Zion to Cairo will squeeze their town's lawmakers to help get him the loan he wants.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-quinn-borrowing-plan-20110428,0,2727322.story

for decades screwing up our state.

about everything since he retired from his full time job.

EDIT: Zabrocki was a consoler at Brother Rice High school. Mayor in our town is a part time job.