DeKalb Times

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Dekalb County, Illinois, seeking records related to property tax relief and exemptions for veterans with disabilities. The request, sent by DeKalb Times, a media organization dedicated to covering local governmental affairs, aims to obtain documents from Tax Year 2024 through the present.

The requested records include:

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 under 35 ILCS 200/15-165.

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

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

The request emphasizes the importance of access to public records in ensuring transparency and accountability within public institutions. As part of their role in gathering and reporting news, DeKalb Times seeks this information in an electronic format and has requested a fee waiver based on their status as media professionals.

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

The average student-to-teacher ratio in DeKalb County was 14-to-1 in the 2022-23 school year, with 16,139 students enrolled and 1,174 full-time faculty members across the county's 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.