School City of Whiting — Operating Referendum (Lake County)

What it does

Shall School City of Whiting increase property taxes paid to the School Corporation for no more than eight (8) years for the purpose of funding and sustaining educational and operational stability in response to reductions in property tax revenue, supporting essential health and safety services, including retaining and employing school resource officers, attracting and retaining teachers and staff, maintaining class sizes, and funding academic and student support programs to meet the educational needs of all students, by imposing a property tax rate that does not exceed $0.3372 and results in a maximum annual amount that does not exceed $2,500,000? If this operating referendum public question is approved by the voters, for a median residence of $250,000 the property's annual property tax bill would increase by $383 per year. The most recent operating referendum public question proposed by the school corporation was held in 2023 and failed.

A YES vote means

The School City of Whiting would raise property taxes for up to eight years, at a rate of up to $0.3372 and no more than $2,500,000 a year, to fund school resource officers, teacher and staff retention, class sizes, and academic and student support programs; a median $250,000 home's yearly tax bill would rise by $383.

A NO vote means

The School City of Whiting 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

Background

Whiting's Board of School Trustees passed and adopted the referendum tax levy resolution on June 1, 2026. The board secretary's certification filed with the state says a majority of the board adopted it.

The resolution says that, based on revenue calculations for 2027 through 2034, the corporation cannot carry out its educational duty without a referendum levy. It sets a maximum rate of $0.3372 and a maximum annual levy of $2,500,000.

The resolution says no charter schools asked to share in the levy, so none of the revenue would go to a charter school. As the ballot notes, the corporation's 2023 operating referendum failed.

Put on the ballot by School City of Whiting Board of School Trustees, June 1, 2026 (adopted by a majority; tally not stated).

From official source 1, official source 2.

Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on Lake County ballots

• Tri-Creek School Corporation — Operating Referendum
• Crown Point Community Schools — Operating Referendum
• River Forest Community School Corporation — Operating Referendum (Extension)

All Lake County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on School City of Whiting mean?

The School City of Whiting would raise property taxes for up to eight years, at a rate of up to $0.3372 and no more than $2,500,000 a year, to fund school resource officers, teacher and staff retention, class sizes, and academic and student support programs; a median $250,000 home's yearly tax bill would rise by $383.

What does a NO vote on School City of Whiting mean?

The School City of Whiting would not raise property taxes for this purpose.

How many votes does School City of Whiting 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 School City of Whiting?

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.