A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Joliet Department of Finance regarding sales tax records on October 25, 2024. The request was made by the Will County Gazette, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The Gazette requested detailed information about sales tax collected from retailers from January 1, 2024 till the date of the request. The specific fields requested included monthly comparisons of actual sales tax collected versus projected amounts, the number of active retail locations paying sales tax each month, and the names and gross retail sales reported by each retailer for each month.
As part of its mission to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public, the Gazette stressed that access to these public records is essential for fulfilling its professional responsibilities. In light of its role in disseminating information to the public, it also requested a fee waiver as a media professional.
The City of Joliet Department of Finance has yet to respond to this request.
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