The ongoing Bradley property tax levy program of assessing the tax and then returning it to those same taxpayers will continue.

On Monday, the Bradley Village Board unanimously OK’d its 2025 $2.37 million tax levy, which was $57,968, or 2.5%, above the 2024 level.

And in the continuing fashion, the administration will return the village’s portion of a property owner’s property tax bill, beginning in October 2026.

This action marks the fourth year Bradley has assessed its portion of property taxes and then rebated those monies.

The rebates will take place between October 2026 and March 2027. To gain the rebate, property owners are required to fill out a rebate form either at the Bradley Village Hall or through the village website.

That needed action, however, will not take place for several months.

The bulk of the village’s operating funds comes through sales taxes, as Bradley is considered the retail hub of Kankakee County.

The increased levy was due to larger contributions to the police and fire pension funds, said village finance manager Rob Romo.

The village is contributing $1.3 million to the police pension fund and $213,517 to the fire pension. The police pension contribution was up $205,782 from 2024, and the fire pension increased $7,995.

“We taketh and we giveth back,” he said.

In all, the village has about 5,000 property owners.

Property owners are required to apply for the rebate. As part of the application, they must prove they paid the taxes due.

Based on the strong sales tax figures the village generates from the 6.25% sales tax rate, as well as the additional 1% point increase in a special sales tax rate which was adopted in the March 2020 referendum, the village pulls in about $13.7 million to its general fund.

A third source of tax funding comes in through the ever-expanding business district tax, which includes about 75% of the village. The business tax brings in about $4.8 million.