A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Harvey Finance Department on October 31, 2024. The request, made by South Cook News, sought detailed information about city sales tax records for a nearly two-year period.
The specifics of the request included a list of businesses that paid sales tax to the city from January 1, 2023, to October 31, 2024. The requested details for each business were its name, type and the amount of sales tax it paid during this period.
In addition to this comprehensive list, South Cook News also requested the total amount of sales tax that the city collected from all sources during this same time frame.
As a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at South Cook News believe access to public records is essential in fulfilling our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
Given our role in disseminating information, we have also requested a fee waiver as media professionals under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. We are currently awaiting a response from the City of Harvey Finance Department regarding our request.
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