West Central Reporter

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

On June 10, 2025, a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Greene County, Illinois. The request seeks records related to property tax relief and exemptions for veterans with disabilities and their surviving spouses. Specifically, the West Central Reporter requested documents showing individuals who have requested or received various forms of tax relief from Tax Year 2024 through the present.

The records requested include:

1. Documents pertaining to 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 concerning individuals who applied for or were granted a Specially Adapted Housing Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities, as outlined in 35 ILCS 200/15-165.

3. Records of those who sought or obtained a Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities, pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/15-169.

4. Information on individuals who applied for or received a Returning Veteran’s Homestead Exemption under 35 ILCS 200/15-172.

The request was made by West Central Reporter, an organization dedicated to providing comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs. The reporter emphasized the importance of access to public records in fulfilling their professional duties, which include ensuring transparency and accountability within public institutions.

Additionally, the requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating government actions using FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.

The average student-to-teacher ratio in Greene County was reported as 12-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year, indicating an educational environment with relatively small class sizes 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.