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Ballot question

Carmel Clay Schools (Local Public Question)

On the ballot in
Carmel Clay Schools
Vote
Yes or no
Election
Nov 3, 2026

The question, as printed on the ballot

Shall Carmel Clay Schools 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 by repealing and replacing its existing referendums, including supporting student safety, health, and well-being, including the employment and retention of school resource officers; supporting and retaining teachers and staff; and funding academic and support programs to meet the educational needs of all students, by imposing a property tax rate that does not exceed $0.4274 and results in a maximum annual amount that does not exceed $61,981,519? If this operating referendum public question is approved by the voters, for a median residence of $500,000, the property's annual property tax bill would increase by $1,062 per year. The most recent operating referendum public question proposed by the school corporation was held in 2023 and passed.

A “Yes” vote means

Replaces Carmel Clay's 19-cent operating and 5-cent safety referendums with one levy of up to $0.4274 per $100 of assessed value (at most $62 million a year) for eight years.

A “No” vote means

The current referendums continue until they expire (the safety levy in 2027, the operating levy in 2031); the district says it would cut $10 million from its 2027 budget.

Official plain English statement

Carmel Clay Schools asks voters to repeal its two current referendums, a 19-cent operating levy and a 5-cent school safety levy, and replace them with one eight-year levy of up to $0.4274 per $100 of assessed value (no more than $61,981,519 a year). The district's spending plan estimates $47.1 million in 2027: about $8.5 million for student safety, health and well-being, including school resource officers, and $38.6 million for teachers, staff and academic and support programs.

On the ballot as "CARMEL CLAY SCHOOLS" (Local Public Question), for voters in Carmel Clay Schools (Clay Township, Hamilton County). The 19-cent operating referendum (2023–2031) and the 5-cent safety referendum (2020–2027) would both be repealed; the district says it would phase in the new rate through 2031 rather than levy the maximum at once.

Sources

The question and plain English statement are copied word for word from official election materials. The Gist does not take a side on ballot questions.