Alpine School District supports Lehi business development

AMERICAN FORK (The Daily Herald) -- A school board vote Tuesday evening decided the fate of a business park in north Lehi.

Alpine School District board members unanimously approved a 15-percent tax incentive, $2.63 million, for a Thanksgiving Park economic development authority (EDA). ASD assistant superintendent over facilities Rob Smith said the district had the greatest potential to gain revenue from the project in property taxes.

"In this case, because it was an economic development project, this would have been a swing vote," said Smith. "It would have died. If the school district had not voted in favor, the project would not have moved forward."

The district's approval moves the resolution to Utah County commissioners and Lehi City Council members for a final vote, and all three must approve the resolution for the tax incentive to happen. Both Lehi City and County Commission have spoken in favor of the EDA to help pay for additional infrastructure and other enhancements Thanksgiving Park paid for up front to secure Microsoft as a tenant. Microsoft announced its intentions in June to move into Thanksgiving Park.

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