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Police crimp scanners / P. 3
Reading effort revs up / P. 15
INSIDE
MPS confronts teacher bonuses, poor grad rates BY MARK MORAN Tribune Staff Writer
NEWS ................................ 6 Mesa's newest City Council member outlines vision.
Sunday, August 14, 2022
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE THE EAST VALLEY) | TheMesaTribune.com
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
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gainst the backdrop of the state’s poorest high school graduation rate, the Mesa Public Schools governing board voted 3-2 to defeat a pay-for-performance measure that would have incentivized teachers with an additional $1,000 if they attained academic benchmarks for their students. The board originally approved the measure
Another honor
by the same vote, but nearly 45 minutes after the vote, board member Kiana Sears interrupted proceedings and told board President Jenny Richardson that she wanted to change hers. “You want to go back to pay for performance and change your vote on pay for performance?” Richardson asked. “Yes, ma’am,” Sears said. “OK. We’ve never done this before,” said Richardson. Discussions seemed to indicate that the vote
BUSINESS .................. 18
was not a reflection of the board’s sentiment toward teachers being paid for performance, but more a matter of the logistics around how and when teachers are compensated. It essentially revolved around whether the bonus should be part of their salary or given as a one-time award during summer months. Some pointed out that a one-time bonus can have negative tax implications.
see PAY page 8
Eastmark could get short-term rental neighborhood BY SCOTT SHUMAKER Tribune Staff Writer
Mobile vet service aims for affordability.
SPORTS ........................ 22 Eastmark ready to rumble on the gridiron.
COMMUNITY .............................. 15 BUSINESS ................................... 18 OPINION ..................................... 19 SPORTS ...................................... 22 GET OUT ...................................... 25 CLASSIFIED ............................... 27 ZONE 2
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Mesa resident Troy Kotsur, who won the 2022 Oscar and numerous other awards this year for best supporting actor for his role in the movie “CODA” received the key to the city last Thursday from Mayor John Giles during a ceremony at the Mesa Arts Center. Kotsur, the second deaf actor to win an Academy Award, splits his time between Los Angeles and Mesa and won for his role of a father whose daughter wants to go away to college but is afraid of leaving her deaf parents behind. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)
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California developer is thinking of buying 144 single-family homes in the Eastmark community in southeast Mesa to create a neighborhood of shortterm rentals. Visit Mesa CEO Marc Garcia told the city’s Economic Development Advisory Board about the possible project during its Aug. 2 meeting. Visit Mesa is the city’s official tourism marketing organization that is partially funded by bed taxes collected from hotels and shortterm rentals. Garcia was discussing the outlook for new lodging in Mesa when he mentioned the proposed short-term rental neighborhood.
see TOURISM page 13