East Central Reporter

FOIA Request to Coles County regarding tax relief requests for a veteran with disabilities on June 10, 2025.

On June 10, 2025, East Central Reporter submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Coles County, Illinois. The request seeks access to records concerning individuals who have requested or received various forms of property tax relief as veterans with disabilities or their surviving spouses. The specific records requested include:

1. Documents showing individuals who requested and/or received Property Tax Relief as a Veteran with a Disability or as a Surviving Spouse of a Disabled Veteran for the tax year 2024 through the present.

2. Documents showing individuals who requested and/or received a Specially Adapted Housing Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities, pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/15-165, for the tax year 2024 through the present.

3. Documents showing individuals who requested and/or received a Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities, pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/15-169, for the tax year 2024 through the present.

4. Documents showing individuals who requested and/or received a Returning Veteran’s Homestead Exemption, pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/15-172, for the tax year 2024 through the present.

The request emphasizes that these records are essential for East Central Reporter to fulfill its role in providing transparency and holding public institutions accountable. As part of this process, they have also sought a fee waiver due to their status as media professionals.

The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, an organization dedicated to assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found on their website.

In Coles County, where this request was made, there were approximately 5,774 students enrolled in schools during the 2022-23 school year with an average student-to-teacher ratio of 14-to-1 across its educational institutions.

Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.