NW Illinois News

FOIA Request to Jo Daviess County regarding tax relief requests for veterans with disabilities on June 10, 2025.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Jo Daviess County, Illinois, by NW Illinois News. The request seeks records related to property tax relief and exemptions for veterans with disabilities and their surviving spouses. Specifically, the request asks for documents from Tax Year 2024 to the present concerning individuals who have requested or received:

1. Property Tax Relief as a Veteran with a Disability or as a Surviving Spouse of a Disabled Veteran.

2. Specially Adapted Housing Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities, in accordance with 35 ILCS 200/15-165.

3. Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities, pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/15-169.

4. Returning Veteran’s Homestead Exemption, pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/15-172.

The FOIA request emphasizes the importance of access to public records for media professionals in holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency. As part of this effort, NW Illinois News has requested a fee waiver due to its role in disseminating information to the public.

The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that supports media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found on their website.

Jo Daviess County has an average student-to-teacher ratio of 11-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year, serving 3,099 students with 272 full-time faculty members 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.