A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the City Of Metropolis Finance Department on October 31, 2024. The request was made by Southern Illinois News, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The records requested under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, were specifically related to city sales tax. We asked for a list of businesses that paid sales tax to the city from January 1, 2023, to October 31, 2024. The information sought includes the business name, business type, and the amount of sales tax paid by each entity.
In addition to this detailed breakdown, we also requested the total amount of sales tax that the city collected within the same timeframe. This information is vital in our mission to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public.
As members of Southern Illinois News, we believe access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. Given our role in disseminating information, we asserted our eligibility for a fee waiver as media professionals during this request.
We await a response from the City Of Metropolis Finance Department and will continue striving towards transparent reporting in all our endeavors.
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