Noblesville voters carry opposing views on $50M referendum
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) – A $50 million school referendum will go before Noblesville voters November in a school-led effort to increase security in the wake of May’s Noblesville West Middle School shooting.
On Tuesday night, Noblesville Schools leaders approved the referendum to seek more money for safety and mental health improvements and for added teacher compensation.
The district said in a news release it is seeking to expand an operating referendum first approved by voters in 2016. If approved by voters Nov. 6, the referendum was expected to raise an additional $6.25 million over eight years, for a total of $50 million.
“The referendum we passed in 2016 was about maintaining the status quo of our staffing, programming and services, and was a 10.5 percent reduction in the tax rate,” said Noblesville Superintendent Beth Niedermeyer in the release. “This referendum is asking the community to support an increase in funding so we can address school safety and mental health enhancements, as well as teacher recruiting/retention needs.”
An interest in school safety and mental health has spiked since a 13-year-old student reportedly opened fire inside a middle school classroom, injuring a student and a teacher on May 25.
The current operating referendum tax rate is 18.9 cents and the proposed referendum would replace that rate with a new one of 37 cents. A homeowner with property valued at $200,000 would pay $361.68 instead of $184.75.
“I have every bit of confidence that the leadership of Noblesville Schools will do the right thing for kids, parents and the community,” said Denny Kas, a Noblesville resident and a former West Middle School teacher. “And my experience with the community in Noblesville is the community is going to support any good idea or program our school leaders are proposing.”
District leaders said they will have several safety measures in place by the first day of school, Aug. 1: staff safety training, visitor background checks, surveillance equipment, online monitoring and doubling officer presence. They also applied to the state for metal detectors.
They hope to implement many more measures, if the referendum passes, including enhanced lockdown and class barricading tools, safety communication products, parking lot access controls, and training and hiring counseling staff and mental health professionals.
“I think what they’re doing right now is really cool, and it’s nice to see that they’re working toward something because you see in some communities there’s nothing done after,” said Carly Chier, a student at Noblesville High School.
Lawrence Hill, a student at West Middle School, said, “I’m very excited to go back to school to see all the new things that are going to happen, these things,” the safety procedures the school district will implement.
Others in Noblesville are not sure property taxes are the best way to fund these initiatives or are skeptical of the initiatives themselves.
“I am definitely not OK with my property taxes going up. I feel like that we’re being really reactionary right now and just throwing money at something it isn’t going to fix it,” said Kara Joray, a resident of Noblesville, “and raising property taxes are probably going to hurt my family more than adding these safety measures to the school.”
“I think the safety changes are much needed,” said Reid Harrison, a Noblesville resident. “But Hamilton County is already bumping up taxes for changes…. I definitely think they should look at more state funding instead of hiking up property taxes.”
“It’ll actually affect my business quite a lot. We’re a landlord and we own several properties in downtown. This will probably more than double the property taxes that I already pay,” said Elizabeth Blase from Noblesville.
School officials began a public safety forum at Noblesville High School at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The public was invited to come with questions to ask after the district’s presentation of up to 45 minutes on school safety measures and the new referendum.
Due to state law regarding referendum communications, a news release from the school district said residents won’t find information about the referendum on the district website or social media. A political action committee has been formed to support the referendum campaign and is providing a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions and a tax calculator on its website, milleryes.org, the release from the school district said.
Additionally, Niedermeyer said in the release, she will be presenting referendum details to community groups and during her Table Talk meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursdays of every month at Noble Coffee & Tea Co. Ltd., 933 Logan St., in downtown Noblesville.