Noblesville, Indiana School Referendum · Nov 3, 2026
Strong schools don't need a blank check.
The Noblesville Schools operating referendum in Hamilton County, Indiana isn't a simple renewal. It raises the maximum school tax rate from 37¢ to 57¢ per $100 of assessed value — about 54% higher — and authorizes it for eight years, through 2034. Vote NO on November 3.
New: 9 days left: what Question #3 costs and where to vote early →
01 What's at stake
What the Noblesville Schools referendum actually asks for
The 2018 operating referendum expires at the end of 2026. The district is asking voters for a new, larger one. Here is what the certified ballot question authorizes.
- 57¢ Maximum tax rate
- Up from today's 37¢ per $100 of assessed value. A true “continuation” would keep the rate where it is.
- 8 years Authorized through 2034
- The longest term the district could ask for. A shorter or smaller request could have been revisited sooner.
- $43.8M Maximum a year
- The ballot authorizes up to $43,842,578 a year — roughly 75% more than the ~$25 million the district says it needs.
Sources: the certified ballot question and Noblesville Schools — Referendum 2026. Full citations at stopthenoblesvillereferendum.com.
02 The real cost
What the Noblesville school referendum really costs: not $1.88 a month
You've heard the referendum costs “about $1.88 a month.” That figure is presented as an eight-year average, but it's the district calculator's final-year increase divided by eight. Averaged honestly across the same calculator's eight years, it's $8.19 a month, reaching $15.05 by 2034.
Measure only what's on the ballot — the rate going from 37¢ to 57¢ — and a $350,000 home pays about $19.43 a month, roughly $233 a year, once the full rate is reached. The ballot's own required estimate is $955 a year for a median $350,000 home compared with having no referendum at all. That is the full 57¢ in 2027; the board’s August resolution caps 2027 at 38.5¢, about $644 on the same home.
MillerYes, the pro-referendum campaign, can't keep its own number straight: its home page says $1.88, while its FAQ still says $2.30, a figure the district dropped in August.
Put in your own assessed value and see for yourself:
Applies the homestead deductions Hamilton County actually uses. Costs by home value, method and sources →
03 Why vote no
Five reasons to vote NO on the Noblesville Schools referendum
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It's a tax increase
“Continuation” is a marketing word. The maximum rate rises from 37¢ to 57¢.
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The promise isn't on the ballot
The board's August 18 resolution pins only 2027 at 38.5¢, then caps each step at 4¢ a year — reaching 57¢ by 2032. A later board can rescind a resolution. Only voters can change the ballot.
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The highest ask in the county
Noblesville's 57¢ is the highest maximum rate of the five Hamilton County districts on the ballot. See all five.
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Accountability first
Before asking for more, the district should show where today's dollars go and what it cut first.
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A NO vote isn't the end
A NO lets the district come back as soon as November 2028 with a smaller rate or a shorter term — one that asks for what it needs, not the maximum.
04 Compare
Hamilton County, Indiana school referendums: five districts, one ballot
Maximum referendum rate on each district's certified ballot question, per $100 of assessed value.
Certified ballot questions on file with the state. Side-by-side comparison →
05 Get involved
Help Noblesville vote NO
Vote early
Early voting runs October 6 – noon November 2 at the Judicial Center and the Fairgrounds in Noblesville. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 6 a.m.–6 p.m.
Where & when to vote →Ask questions
Superintendent Dr. Dan Hile is holding public meetings and office hours through October. Go, and ask.
Meeting schedule →Follow along
Updates, fact-checks, and corrections as the district revises its numbers.
Follow on Facebook →Tell a neighbor
Referendums are decided by a handful of votes per precinct. Share this page, or print the one-page flyer.
We're not against schools or teachers. Noblesville has good schools, and a 2025 state law (SEA 1) squeezed every district in the county. Our point is narrower: an eight-year commitment to the maximum rate deserves more scrutiny than a yard-sign slogan. Read the district's case too — then decide.