FOIA Request to City Of Benton Finance Department Regarding Sales Tax Records on October 25, 2024. The request was made by North Egypt News, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
We at North Egypt News have requested specific records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. The records we are seeking pertain to sales tax collected from retailers starting from January 1, 2024, up until the present date.
The detailed information we are seeking includes monthly sales tax collected from retailers compared with projected figures. We are also interested in the number of active retail locations paying sales tax each month during this period. Additionally, we have asked for the names of each retailer and their reported gross retail sales for each month.
As a media organization, our role is to gather and report news to the public. Access to these public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities which include 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 await the response from the City Of Benton Finance Department and will continue our efforts in ensuring transparency and accountability in local governmental affairs.
