School Board Candidate Aaron Ritchey on KVNU: Taxes, Career and Technical Education and School Safety

11 minutes ago

2 min read

On Monday, October 19, 2026, Cache County School Board District 2 candidate Aaron Ritchey (Nonpartisan) joined host Jason Williams in the studio for Hour 1 of KVNU's For The People, as part of the show's week of candidate spotlights on the school board races.

Aaron C. Ritchey, School Board District 2 candidate (Nonpartisan)

Ritchey explained the school board's role with a simple comparison: it works like a board of directors elected by the people it serves. Voters choose board members to represent them, and the board is responsible for hiring the superintendent, curriculum director, principals and other district leaders and for maintaining good-quality schools. He said a citizen's direct connection to the district runs through the school board, not the administration.

Property taxes were a major theme. Ritchey noted the large recent property tax increase in Cache County and said that at the truth-in-taxation hearings he has attended, the board said it was raising taxes to the maximum to draw the most from the state. He said he wants to hear a board say it worked hard and is taxing only for what it needs, and he cautioned against building permanent programs on one-time money.

Drawing on his work as a construction superintendent, Ritchey called for a stronger relationship with Bridgerland Technical College so more students can finish high school work-ready, with certifications in fields like welding, Toyota technician training and dental hygiene. He said he has already talked with Rep. Jason Thompson, and that work is underway to create two-year programs. He also said AI has a place in classrooms, such as giving students immediate help on a math problem, as long as it is controlled and its goals are clear.

Ritchey also highlighted school safety, an issue he said he hears about from many teachers and parents. He said he was involved in hardening schools after the Sandy Hook shooting. He added that teachers he has talked with told him they don't leave because of pay, and parents told him they move their children to alternative schools because of a lack of structure.

Listen to the interview

Audio credit: KVNU's For The People (Cache Valley Media Group). Segment from the Oct. 19, 2026 Hour 1 broadcast.

Listen to Aaron's segment (~10 min)

Aaron Ritchey on KVNU For The People, Oct 19, 2026KVNU / For The People (Cache Valley Media Group)

10:27

Direct audio link: https://music.wixstatic.com/mp3/fd2cdb_ccc23275bae94c779411ac56661f4f3e.mp3

Listen to the full hour on Podcastics: KVNU For The People, Oct. 19, 2026 Hour 1

Who is Aaron Ritchey?

Aaron C. Ritchey is running for Cache County School Board District 2, a nonpartisan race. He is a small-business owner, former school board member and longtime youth-sports coach, and he works as a superintendent for a construction company in the area.