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Kankakee council approves property tax levy and multiple SSA levies; administration sought 2.5% increase
Summary
The Kankakee City Council approved a citywide property tax levy (administration sought a 2.5% increase) and levies for several special service areas, noting the city tax rate fell from 4.316 to 3.971. Council approved the measures by roll call (ordinarily unanimous votes).
The Kankakee City Council on Dec. 15 approved the ordinance levying property taxes for corporate purposes for fiscal year May 1, 2025–April 30, 2026, after a second-reading discussion and a recorded roll-call vote.
Mayor (unnamed in the transcript) told the council the administration was requesting a 2.5% increase in the levy, saying, “This year we are asking for a 2.5% increase,” which the meeting record estimated at about $344,000 over last year’s request on a budget of roughly $35 million. The mayor also noted the city’s tax rate has fallen from 4.316 to 3.971 — “the lowest tax rate, since 2007,” he said — and framed the levy request as an effort to maintain services while keeping rates low.
Alderman O’Brien and others pointed to the longer-term reduction in the city rate: “The city's rate going back to 2012…in 2017 the city's rate peaked at 8.3%…and now…3.971,” O’Brien said, noting the rate has been cut roughly in half over eight years. Council members praised efforts including supplemental sales tax and bond work that the administration credited for improving the city’s fiscal position.
Alongside the citywide levy, council approved second readings and final passage of ordinances levying taxes for Special Service Areas intended to fund downtown improvements, the historic district, Coach Light Square, and the Eastside Business District. Those SSAs support activities such as downtown events, planters, façade programs and lighting maintenance.
Roll-call outcomes recorded in the meeting: the city corporate-property tax ordinance and each SSA ordinance passed with roll-call tallies recorded as 11 ayes, 0 nays. The public hearing on the levy that opened at the meeting received no oral comments.
Why it matters: the levy funds municipal services and capital priorities; council members said the increase is an attempt to close budget gaps while preserving or expanding services such as police, fire and public works. The administration also emphasized that some revenue improvements reflect new taxable development that broadens the tax base, not only higher assessed values.
Next steps: ordinances are approved and will be implemented per the city’s budget and tax-certification schedule.
