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BUSINESS .... 16 Lash-lifting business looks to change market
SPORTS ........ 18 Millennium boys basketball starts fast
The Voice of the West Valley for 37 years
Buckeye program awards local nonprofits grants BY SUMMER AGUIRRE
West Valley View Staff Writer
T
he city of Buckeye has awarded grants to local organizations through its Nonprofit Community Funding Program for this fiscal year. After a full review, the Buckeye City Council chose to fund eight out of 10 total nonprofit applicants for the program. The grants sum up to $69,500 for the 2022-23 fiscal year and will benefit nonprofits that provide a variety of human services for Buckeye residents. “This is a big one for us every year. … This is just a way to help nonprofits get into the community and really help some of those issues that are a problem in (our neighborhood),” said John O’Halloran, public information office, city of Buck-
West Valley View Staff Writer
‘Big trains’ roll into the Valley for the holidays
OPINION ................. 8 BUSINESS.............. 16 SPORTS ..................18 CALENDAR ............20 FEATURES ..............22 OBITUARIES ...........26 YOUTH ..................28 CLASSIFIEDS ..........29 WEST
eye. “So anything from food insecurity, to families in crisis, to helping the elderly and youth programs, you name it — this really helps the community.” The Nonprofit Community Funding Program, which dates back to 2013, was launched by the Buckeye City Council so local nonprofit agencies would have a process to apply and be selected for a budgeted amount of money. The nonprofits fall within specific priority categories, which includes family crises, senior programs, homeless assistance, special needs support, youth programs, low- or moderate-income families or individuals, and mental health and substance abuse, prevention and early intervention. This year’s awarded nonprofits are as
follows: • All Faith Community Services ($25,000) — Emergency food assistance to those at risk of food insecurity. • Buckeye Police Foundation ($11,000) — Crime prevention, awareness and support for victims of domestic violence and crime. • Youth4Youth ($10,000) — School drug and alcohol prevention program implementation. • Homeless Youth Connection ($5,000) — Engaging youth experiencing homelessness in trauma-informed, client-led, strengths-based interventions. • Meals of Joy ($5,000) — Providing meals to seniors either living independently with
Grants...continued on page 3
Fight for education funding is an ongoing debate BY SAMANTHA REA
FEATURES .... 22
December 7, 2022
F
ive years ago, Arizona teachers went on strike for eight days with the RedforEd movement to protest ongoing funding cuts and low salaries. In 2022, the strike ended but the fight continues. Arizona’s educators make 5.5% less than the state’s average wage across many occupations, comparing 2020-21 average wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, according to Business.org. While other states such as Pennsylvania, which ranks first, have made little adjustments to their teacher pay in the last 10 years, their educators make up to 28.5% above the state’s average salary. Business.org reported the average teacher salary in Arizona for 2020-2021 to be $52,157. There’s continuing debate over teacher compensation and whether state education
funds are helping teachers or being diverted to other budgetary priorities. Meanwhile, inadequate salaries for educators are cause for concern for Beth Lewis, director of Save Our Schools Arizona, a nonprofit teacher advocacy organization. She said the biggest fear is the impact it will have on teachers and the education system as a whole. “It is no surprise that we have a massive lack of teachers who are willing to work for this pay and, under these working conditions, these numbers don’t surprise me whatsoever,” Lewis said. Educators made their dissatisfaction known in 2018 with the RedforEd movement. Educators in Arizona and other states went on strike for anywhere from five to 10 days, fighting for better salaries and fewer budget cuts. Following the walkouts, Gov. Doug Ducey passed the “20x2020” plan
— a plan to increase Arizona’s teacher salary by 20% by the year 2020. While Business.org ranked Arizona No. 50 — the worst state in the United States for teacher pay — as reporting teacher pay has declined by 9.59% from 2010-21. Matt Beienburg, director of education at the Goldwater Institute, said Business.org’s numbers don’t quite match up with data from the state auditor general, however. Data from the auditor general shows the average teacher salary was $56,349 in the 2021 fiscal year, June 2020 to June 2021. Additionally, Beienburg disputes Business.org’s report and said there has actually been an increase in teacher salaries from 2010-2021, though a small one. In Beienburg’s 2021 policy report, “The Truth About Teacher Pay in Arizona: How
Funding...continued on page 4