What does a YES vote on Westfield Washington Schools mean?

Westfield Washington Schools would raise property taxes for up to eight years, at a rate of up to $0.3941 and no more than $38,000,000 a year, to fund its Excellent Schools → Excellent Community initiative, including School Resource Officers in each school, small class sizes, counselors and mental health supports, academic programs, and staff retention; a median $450,000 home's yearly tax bill would rise by $873.

What does a NO vote on Westfield Washington Schools mean?

Westfield Washington Schools would not raise property taxes for this purpose.

Is $0.3941 the rate everyone will pay?

It is the most the district could levy. The district says it plans to start at $0.3381 per $100 of assessed value, and the board sets the rate each year in its budget.

Is this in addition to the current school referendum tax?

The district says no: it would replace the 2022 operating referendum, which expires at the end of 2026.

Where does the $873 figure come from?

State law requires the ballot to show the increase for the median home value, rounded up to the next $50,000. The Hamilton County Auditor certified a median of $450,000 and an increase of $873.

How many votes does Westfield Washington Schools need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on Westfield Washington Schools?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Westfield Washington Schools — Operating Referendum (Hamilton County)

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 3:09 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026 · Westfield-Washington Schools school district voters

What it does: Shall Westfield Washington Schools increase property taxes paid to the school corporation for no more than eight (8) years for the purpose of funding educational and operational expenses due to reductions in property tax revenue through the Excellent Schools → Excellent Community initiative including student safety by the addition of School Resource Officers in each school; maintaining small class sizes; advancing student health and well-being by adding school counselors, social workers, and mental health supports; advancing academic and essential programs to meet the educational needs of all students; and supporting and retaining teachers and staff by imposing a property tax rate that does not exceed $0.3941 and results in a maximum annual amount that does not exceed $38,000,000? If this operating referendum public question is approved by the voters, for a median residence of $450,000 the property's annual property tax bill would increase by $873 per year. The most recent operating referendum public question proposed by the school corporation was held in 2022 and passed.
A YES vote means: Westfield Washington Schools would raise property taxes for up to eight years, at a rate of up to $0.3941 and no more than $38,000,000 a year, to fund its Excellent Schools → Excellent Community initiative, including School Resource Officers in each school, small class sizes, counselors and mental health supports, academic programs, and staff retention; a median $450,000 home's yearly tax bill would rise by $873.
A NO vote means: Westfield Washington Schools would not raise property taxes for this purpose.
Needed to pass: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean: Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Explained

Today

Westfield Washington Schools collects an operating referendum property tax that voters approved in 2022. The district says that referendum expires at the end of 2026.
The district describes its current referendum rate as $0.17 per $100 of assessed value.

If it passes

YES would let the district levy an operating referendum property tax for up to eight years, at a rate of no more than $0.3941 per $100 of assessed value, with a maximum annual amount of $38,000,000.
The district says the new levy would replace the 2022 referendum, not be added on top of it.
The district's filed spending plan estimates yearly spending of $9,000,000 on retaining teachers and staff, $9,000,000 on maintaining class sizes, $6,000,000 on student health and safety initiatives (the ballot names school resource officers, counselors, social workers and mental health supports), and $4,000,000 on academic programs.
NO would mean the new levy is not imposed. The current referendum would end when it expires at the end of 2026.

Example

The ballot, as required by state law, says a median home of $450,000 would pay $873 more per year; that figure was certified by the Hamilton County Auditor and assumes the full $0.3941 rate. The district says it plans an initial rate of $0.3381 and estimates a net increase of $147.68 per year for a home assessed at $426,700, after counting the current referendum it replaces and new state homestead credits. (source)

Who would notice

Property owners in the Westfield Washington Schools district in Hamilton County, and the district's students and staff.

How it got here

The Westfield Washington Schools Board of School Trustees adopted the resolution to place the question on the ballot by a 5-0 vote on June 9, 2026.

The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance approved the ballot wording on June 12, 2026 (Final Determination No. 26-007-REF).

The district says it faces a funding gap from state funding levels, property tax caps and recent state property-tax changes (Senate Enrolled Act 1).

Written by SpectrumVote from 4 linked sources (1, 2, 3, 4). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

Background

According to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Westfield Washington Schools submitted its board resolution proposing the referendum on June 9, 2026, at a tax rate of no more than $0.3941 per $100 of assessed value.

The Hamilton County Auditor certified the corporation's median household assessed value at $450,000, with an estimated annual tax increase of $873 for that home if the referendum passes.

The corporation's most recent operating referendum, in 2022, passed.

The department found the proposed ballot language complied with Indiana law and approved it on June 12, 2026.

Put on the ballot by Westfield Washington Schools Board of School Trustees (resolution submitted to DLGF June 9, 2026; board vote not stated in the DLGF determination).

From official source.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Westfield Washington Schools mean?: Westfield Washington Schools would raise property taxes for up to eight years, at a rate of up to $0.3941 and no more than $38,000,000 a year, to fund its Excellent Schools → Excellent Community initiative, including School Resource Officers in each school, small class sizes, counselors and mental health supports, academic programs, and staff retention; a median $450,000 home's yearly tax bill would rise by $873.
What does a NO vote on Westfield Washington Schools mean?: Westfield Washington Schools would not raise property taxes for this purpose.
Is $0.3941 the rate everyone will pay?: It is the most the district could levy. The district says it plans to start at $0.3381 per $100 of assessed value, and the board sets the rate each year in its budget.
Is this in addition to the current school referendum tax?: The district says no: it would replace the 2022 operating referendum, which expires at the end of 2026.
How long would it last?: No more than eight years.
Where does the $873 figure come from?: State law requires the ballot to show the increase for the median home value, rounded up to the next $50,000. The Hamilton County Auditor certified a median of $450,000 and an increase of $873.
How many votes does Westfield Washington Schools need to pass?: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on Westfield Washington Schools?: SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?: The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the Hamilton County ballot.

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