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.
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. 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.