Holding the State Hostage, legally

Illinois business tax breaks soar in recent years - Yahoo! Finance: "According to state records, Illinois' government agreed last year to give $272.7 million in tax breaks and other incentives to 67 companies that had invitations from other states to move jobs elsewhere. That's more than quadruple what Illinois promised the 44 companies that received incentives packages in 2006, and more than double the financial commitment in 2009, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press through a Freedom of Information Act request.

With promises of $230 million already made this year -- including an unprecedented $100 million package for Motorola Mobility and another being negotiated now with Sears Holding Corp. -- 2011's tally will almost certainly surpass 2010's.

Gov. Pat Quinn and state economic development officials agreed to the incentive packages as Illinois wrestled with a multibillion budget deficit, one that would lead the governor to push through steep income tax increases earlier this year."