Which of the following is a frequently used source of public record information?

• A. Birth certificates
• B. Water utility bills
• C. Tax records
• D. Trade union records

Answer: (C)

Tax records are a frequently used public record source because they are held by government offices to track property ownership and tax obligations, and they’re designed to be accessible to the public. These records typically include the owner’s name and address, property description, parcel number, and tax history, and they’re often searchable online through the county assessor, treasurer, or recorder websites. This makes it easy to verify residency, establish who owns a property, and uncover related information such as liens or transfers that can lead to other records.

Birth certificates are restricted vital records, generally available only to immediate family or authorized individuals. Water utility bills are private documents and not maintained as public records. Trade union records aren’t standard public records and membership information is usually protected, which is why they’re less useful as a routine public-record source.