Rock Island Today

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to Mercer County, Illinois, by Rock Island Today, seeking detailed records related to property tax relief and exemptions for veterans with disabilities. The request, dated June 10, 2025, specifically asks for documents from Tax Year 2024 through the present.

The records requested include information on individuals who have applied for or received Property Tax Relief as a Veteran with a Disability or as a Surviving Spouse of a Disabled Veteran. Additionally, the request seeks documents pertaining to those who have requested or received a Specially Adapted Housing Exemption and Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities under Illinois statutes 35 ILCS 200/15-165 and 35 ILCS 200/15-169 respectively. The FOIA also covers records related to the Returning Veteran’s Homestead Exemption under statute 35 ILCS 200/15-172.

Rock Island Today is a media organization dedicated to delivering comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs. In their communication, they emphasized the importance of access to public records in fulfilling their journalistic duties of holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency. They also requested a fee waiver based on their role 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.

Mercer County has an average student-to-teacher ratio of 12-to-1 in the current school year, serving over one thousand students with more than one hundred 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.