Kankakee Times

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Kankakee County by the Kankakee Times on June 10, 2025. The request seeks access to records related to property tax relief and exemptions for veterans with disabilities and their surviving spouses for the tax year 2024 onwards. Specifically, the request asks for documents showing individuals who have requested or received various forms of tax relief, including Property Tax Relief as a Veteran with a Disability or as a Surviving Spouse of a Disabled Veteran, Specially Adapted Housing Exemption, Standard Homestead Exemption, and Returning Veteran’s Homestead Exemption.

The request was made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, with a preference for receiving the information in electronic format. The Kankakee Times emphasizes its role in gathering and reporting news to the public, highlighting the importance of access to public records in holding governmental institutions accountable and ensuring transparency.

The FOIA request also notes that it is part of an effort by The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating government actions through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found on their website at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.

Kankakee County is located in Illinois and had an average student-to-teacher ratio of 14-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year. There were 16,093 students enrolled across the county's schools with 1,118 full-time faculty members.

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.