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Chandler girl impresses judges, wins big award
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NEWS............................... 6 Tempe company brings words to those who can’t read
EAST VALLEY
Mesa boxer recounts life guarding Trump PAGE 10
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Report slams Mesa’s pensions liability as city says it’s coping BY GARY NELSON Tribune Contributor
M
esa and Phoenix have earned “D” grades from a national watchdog group that monitors the finances of state and city governments. The report, released Jan. 24 by a Chicagobased organization called Truth in Accounting, said Mesa and Phoenix finances are tottering largely because of unfunded obligations for pensions and retiree health care.
Mesa has a lot of company among debt-ridden cities ... Page 6 “Large sums of money have been pledged to city employees, teachers, police officers and other public servants, but the funds have not been set aside to finance the programs adequately,” the report said. “Cities shouldn’t be promising benefits when they are not prepared to back them up with actual funding,” said Sheila Weinberg, founder and CEO of the watchdog group.
“But all over the country, there are municipalities that have accumulated significant taxpayer burdens by doing exactly that.” In a report that analyzed America’s 75 largest cities, Phoenix and Mesa are hardly alone in the crosshairs. Thirty-four cities got “D” ratings and seven – the worst being New York City – flunked altogether. Tempe, Gilbert and Chandler were not included in the TIA rankings. See
FINANCES on page 4
Mesa swim school makes a splash with baby classes BUSINESS................... 13 Wine aficionados soak up knowledge at Vinum 55
SPORTS........................16 Campo Verde diver has fought medical issues to find his sport
EVENT..........................19 Art of Chocolate A’fair moves to Gilbert
COMMUNITY................ 10 BUSINESS........................13 OPINION.........................15 SPORTS ...........................16 FAITH................................18 CLASSIFIED.................... 23
BY COLLEEN SPARKS Tribune Staff Writer
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abies gently splashed, floated, dipped beneath the water and grabbed rubber ducks while anchored to protective mothers in a shallow pool on a recent weekday morning in Mesa. While it’s common to hear cries as babies get fussy at play dates and other gatherings, these little ones were mostly quiet as they maneuvered their chubby, cherub-like bodies in the warm water at SWIMkids USA on West Guadalupe Road. SWIMkids USA recently won the 2017 Spirit of Enterprise Social Impact award. Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business honors a company that has made the biggest contribution toward the community’s greater good and shown it is socially focused, making a philanthropic impact. “It’s such an honor and that’s probably our biggest prize,” SWIMkids USA founder and president Lana Whitehead said, adding: “This award shines the light on our mission, which is to educate parents about water safety and teach even the youngest children lifesaving swim skills. I am deeply honored to receive this award because this is a problem that is not going away.” One reason the swim school received the recognition is because Whitehead is considered a pioneer in the swim-float-swim technique aimed at helping people be safer in the water. With this method, a child kicks in the water
(Kimberly Carrillo/Tribune Photographer)
At 7 months old, Daniel Butyaev proves you're never too young to learn to swim. He's one of hundreds of babies who have learned water safety during classes at SwimUSA in Mesa.
while in a prone position for several seconds and then rotates onto their back, where they can rest and breathe. They repeat the swimfloat-swim technique until they arrive safely at the side, where they are able to reach up and hold on, Whitehead said. SWIMkids USA also distinguished itself by providing free Water Smart Infants classes for babies ages 2 to 7 months old (accompanied
by a parent) and free CPR classes. Whitehead is also the national spokeswoman for Water Smart Babies program, a national program in which pediatricians write prescriptions for babies to get swim lessons. “To be recognized as a Spirit of Enterprise finalist or winner means those founders and See
SWIM on page 4