‘HOTHEAD BANDIT’ GETS 12 YEARS IN PRISON, PAGE 2
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LOWERING HIS EARS
50¢ Friday, April 27, 2012
Goodyear considers pay raises
by Rachel Trott staff writer
SMELLY SITUATION
Gila River restora- tion project results in accidental killing of hundreds of fish — Page 3.
Goodyear employees may see some changes in their paychecks next fiscal year because of an increased city operational budget as a result of strong sales-tax revenues. City Council members have been meeting throughout the month to discuss potential budget allocations, including giving city employees a pay raise, reinstating tuition reimbursement and shifting some health-care premium costs to employees. The city’s operational budget is estimated to be $66 million for fiscal year 2013, up $3 million from the previous year. “We’re projecting to have our state
distribution up, and then our regular sales tax up and we’re also anticipating that construction sales tax is up,” Budget and Research Manager Terri Canada said. No official votes have been taken on budget allocations since all meetings have been council work sessions. A draft budget will be presented May 7 with a tentative budget adoption scheduled for May 21. The final budget will be approved June 25. A public budget forum will take place at 6 p.m. May 2 at the Goodyear Justice Center, 185 N. 145th Ave.
AUTISM AUTEUR
Scout makes film to help people with disabilities — Page 5.
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View photo by Michael Clawson
VOLUNTEER BARBER KEVIN MORENO cuts Greg Taetz’s hair Tuesday at the First Southern Baptist Church in Avondale. The church frequently hosts Project Connect, a social services fair that helps needy or homeless people with jobs, clothing, showers, haircuts, medical care and a variety of other services. See the story on Page 8.
Raises and tuition reimbursement City Council members reached an unofficial consensus to give city employees a 2.5 percent raise when the new fiscal year begins July 1.
employees in four years and, if approved, will cost the city $1.06 million. “The employees have been the reason for our success the last few years, making our way through the worst economic time during my lifetime,” Councilman Joe Pizzillo said. “I think it’s important that it’s time for us to step up and take care of employees where we can.” The council also reached an unofficial consensus to reinstate tuition reimbursement for city employees. The benefit would allow up to $2,000 a year in tuition reimbursement for employees pursuing a graduate-level
(See Raises on Page 2)
Westview High has new principal Board taps Michele Wilson for the job
educator, with both of her parents and grandmother also in the field, she said.
by Emily McCann staff writer
the Tolleson Union High School District Governing Board dubbed Michele Wilson the new head Knight at Westview High School. The Avondale campus has about 2,470 students. Current Principal Brandi Haskins is being transferred to La Joya Community High School next year.
Haskins has been the principal since 2005, and was the assistant principal at Westview for eight
In a unanimous decision Tuesday,
years before that. The other two candidates for the job were Tamee Gressett, who is an assistant principal at Millennium High School, and Greg Sackos, who works with Maricopa County Educational Service Agency. Wilson, 46, has been in education for 26 years and is the special education director for the Higley Unified School District in Gilbert. She was previously an assistant principal at Barry Goldwater High School in Phoenix.
She is a third-generation
“I feel like I kind of just came into it naturally,” she said. “I loved the process and grew up in a family where everybody was a teacher.” Wilson moved to Arizona from
Iowa in 1978 and graduated from Thunderbird High School in Phoenix. Her degrees include a bachelor of arts in education, a master’s in educational leadership and a doctorate in education. Her salary will be $90,441,
(See Principal on Page 2) Michele Wilson The raise is the first the city has given its
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