East Central Reporter

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

On June 10, 2025, East Central Reporter sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Effingham County, Illinois. The request seeks records related to property tax relief and exemptions for veterans with disabilities and their surviving spouses for the tax year 2024 through the present. Specifically, the request includes:

1. Documents showing individuals who requested or received Property Tax Relief as a Veteran with a Disability or as a Surviving Spouse of a Disabled Veteran.

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

3. Documents showing individuals who requested or received a Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities, pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/15-169.

4. Documents showing individuals who requested or received a Returning Veteran’s Homestead Exemption, pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/15-172.

The request was made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, and East Central Reporter has asked for these documents in electronic format. The organization emphasizes its role in providing transparency and holding public institutions accountable by accessing public records. They have also requested a fee waiver due to their status as media professionals.

East Central Reporter is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that aids media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website: https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.

Effingham County is known for its educational commitment, maintaining an average student-to-teacher ratio of 14-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year across its schools.

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.