A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the City Of Ottawa concerning unpaid parking violations on October 28, 2024.
The request, sent by us at Illinois Valley Times, sought detailed records of all currently unpaid parking violations within the city. Specifically, we asked for the offender's name and address, the amount due for each violation, the date of the violation, and the total amount due.
As a media organization dedicated to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, access to public records is essential for our work. The information gathered from these records allows us to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to our readers.
We believe that as a media professional involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we are eligible for a fee waiver under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. This act encourages transparency by allowing journalists and other interested parties access to certain public records.
Our aim with this request is not only to shed light on how many parking violations remain unpaid within the city but also who these offenders are and how much they owe. By doing so, we hope to encourage more responsible behavior when it comes to abiding by parking regulations.
We await a response from the City Of Ottawa regarding this matter.
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