A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Des Plaines Finance Department regarding sales tax records on October 25, 2024. The request was made by North Cook News, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
In our pursuit of transparency and accountability in public institutions, we requested specific records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. We asked for these records preferably in an electronic format for ease of analysis and reporting.
The requested data includes details about sales tax collected from retailers from January 1, 2024 till the date of the request. We specifically asked for the following fields: Sales tax collected from retailers by month versus projected figures; number of active retail locations paying sales tax by month; names of each retailer and gross retail sales reported by each for every month.
As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, access to such public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. This includes holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
We look forward to receiving this important information from the City of Des Plaines Finance Department so that we can continue our work in providing comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs.
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