Councilman Dave Spencer said a city-contracted feasibility study concluded a split from Alpine School District was feasible and that residents should have the right to vote on the matter.

"As an American...I thought everybody should have a right to vote," Spencer said, tying his position to civic participation and local control over school funding. He said the city council voted unanimously, 7-0, to commission the feasibility study.

Spencer criticized opposition campaign messaging during the Prop 2 period, describing a "Stronger Together" campaign claim of a 56% tax increase as "a blatant lie." He said some opponents had early access to PTA email lists and that local actors, including a Tom McDonald, contributed money to oppose the split while the feasibility study was underway.

On taxes and bonds, Spencer said his tax notice showed about 72% of property tax dollars going to Alpine School District and 9.8% to Orem; he also said a proposed $600 million Alpine bond was defeated. "If you look at the numbers," he said, "we'd be paying for that."

Spencer noted the larger reorganization now leaves Orem negotiating asset divisions with two other new districts and said the city could be last in line, possibly requiring arbitration if negotiations fail.

(Background) Spencer portrayed the split debate as driven by tax allocation and seismic safety concerns; he said parents' choices (homeschooling, private and charter schools) account for much of enrollment fluctuation, not a dramatic outflow of students.