Chambana Sun

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Ford County, Illinois, by Chambana Sun, a media organization focused on local governmental affairs. 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.

The specific documents requested include:

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

2. Documents pertaining to those who have sought or been granted a Specially Adapted Housing Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities, in accordance with 35 ILCS 200/15-165.

3. Records of individuals who have applied for or received a Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities, pursuant to 35 ILCS 200/15-169.

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

Chambana Sun emphasizes the importance of access to public records in fulfilling its role in holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency. As part of this effort, they have requested these records in electronic format and have also asked for a fee waiver due to their status as media professionals.

The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that aids media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this organization can be found on their website: https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.

Ford County's educational system features an average student-to-teacher ratio of 12-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year, serving 2,248 students with the support of 191 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.