Politics & Government
Bateman and Sparti interviewed for Aspen Peaks School board Seat 2
Rob Shelton | Lehi Free Press
Special education teachers are overwhelmed by their caseloads. Students turned away from vocational programs. A new elementary school is overdue. These were some of the challenges raised in the interviews with candidates for Seat 2. This election, voters will decide their respective board members for the Aspen Peaks School District, who will guide the newly formed district through its critical first years.
Two candidates vying for Seat 2 answered 15 questions in 15 minutes during separate interviews, tackling topics submitted by readers of the Lehi Free Press. Stacy Bateman, the lone Alpine School Board incumbent seeking an Aspen Peaks seat, and newcomer Steve Sparti revealed different opinions for the district’s future.
Full video interviews with both candidates are available on YouTube, linked below.
Tax policy divides candidates
The candidates clashed over this year’s tax increment increase, with Bateman defending it as necessary for the long-delayed Cold Springs Elementary School. “We are years behind in getting the Cold Springs Elementary School built,” she said.
Sparti called the increase frustrating and deceptive. “It was really frustrating to see bond money fall off, and then they say, well, we need to move the bond money into capital money because the state was reducing the income tax rate,” he argued. “Neither one of those buckets made any sense for why they needed to increase the tax rate.”
Development deals spark debate
The Texas Instruments tax incentive agreement became a flashpoint. Sparti criticized the long-term costs: “Over the 30 years, it was going to cost $200 million. That’s a significant amount of money that we’re bypassing for gains today.”
Bateman took a pragmatic approach, acknowledging personal reservations while emphasizing negotiation: “We can either say I’m not supportive of this deal and walk away with nothing, or we can start having conversations.”
Trade education gains momentum
The candidates found common ground on expanding vocational opportunities. Bateman highlighted district property on 2100 North as ideal for a technical school, noting many Lehi students seeking trades training face limited spots.
Sparti shared how a counselor once told him it was “college or nothing,” contrasting that attitude with his experience in construction, where lead workers earned “$250,000 a year with a high school degree.”
Library materials reveal philosophical differences
On the topic of controversial content in schools, the candidates reflected different conservative approaches. Sparti has actively pushed to remove what he calls “sexually explicit content” from libraries: “We just don’t think it should be in a public school.”
Bateman emphasized existing review processes: “If there’s a specific book that somebody wants to challenge, then they can go through that process, and there is a group that comes together with their criteria to review it.”
Parent involvement takes center stage
Both emphasized parental engagement, but from different perspectives. Sparti declared himself “a big advocate for parental rights,” calling parents “the purveyors of each child’s education.”
Bateman focused on community dialogue, valuing input from all constituents, “whether they have kids in school anymore” or not.
Looking ahead
Bateman emphasized her institutional knowledge: “I’m the only current Alpine school board member running for the central district.” Sparti positioned himself as the outsider ready for change: “I really had no idea what I was getting myself into… but I wanted to throw my hat in the ring.”
The election mirrors recent municipal races where growth and educational direction have driven voter engagement. Early voting begins on Oct. 27 and continues through Nov. 3, culminating in Election Day on Nov. 4. Vote-by-mail ballots have been mailed out and must be received by the County Clerk by Nov. 4. Vote-by-mail voters are encouraged to mail in their ballots early enough to ensure delivery to the County Clerk by Nov. 4.
