Prairie State Wire

FOIA Request to Illinois Department of Revenue Regarding Tax Relief Requests for Veterans with Disabilities on June 3, 2025.

As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, Prairie State Wire has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Illinois Department of Revenue. We are seeking records related to property tax relief requests filed by veterans with disabilities or their surviving spouses for the property tax years from 2023 to 2025.

Our request specifically asks for documentation concerning all property tax relief applications made by veterans with disabilities or their surviving spouses. Additionally, we seek a classification list detailing whether each request was made by a veteran or a surviving spouse and which type of exemption was requested. The exemptions in question include:

- Specially Adapted Housing Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities (35 ILCS 200/15-165)

- Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities (35 ILCS 200/15-169)

- Returning Veterans’ Homestead Exemption (35 ILCS 200/15-172)

As members of the media, we emphasize the importance of access to public records in fulfilling our professional responsibilities. Our role involves holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency for the public. In line with this mission, we have requested a fee waiver as media professionals.

This request is supported by The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. For more information about their work, please visit [stopsecrecy.org](https://stopsecrecy.org/about/).

We look forward to receiving the requested information and continuing our efforts to inform the public about government actions affecting veterans and their families.