A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the City Of Crystal Lake Finance Department regarding sales tax records on October 31, 2024.
As a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at McHenry Times requested specific records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. The request was for an electronic format list of businesses that paid sales tax to the city from January 1, 2023, to October 31, 2024. The desired fields included the business name, business type, and the amount of sales tax paid.
In addition to this detailed list, we also asked for the total amount of sales tax that the city collected within the same period. This information is vital in our mission to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public.
As members of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, access to such public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. We believe that given our role in disseminating information, we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
We will continue with our commitment to deliver comprehensive coverage on local governmental affairs and ensure transparency for all our readers.
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