Say Brother; The Hottest Seat in Town; 1001

Good evening and welcome to say brother. Tonight's program is called the hottest seat in town. And in a few moments we will see the Boston six mayoral candidates take a turn in the hot seat to to present with us their views on the crucial issues facing our city as well as the remedies they would pursue if elected at the close of if elected. I'm sorry. At the close of our program we should all know a great deal more about the man running for the city's toughest job. First I'd like to welcome one of Boston's most politically astute newsman and my co-host for tonight the Valdai of Channel Seven's black news. Next our panel of reporters whose constituency represents a broad cross-section of Boston's community. I'll begin with my channel two colleague Art Cohen of the 10 o'clock news. Next we have Gloria Chan of Asian focus and editor of Samhain newspaper then Maria de los angeles doubt TV producer of eco. And next to Maria is Margaret Neville from the weekly publication of equal times.

Thank you Barbara. As each candidate takes his turn in the hot seat he will make a one minute presentation before facing a panel of reporters for seven minute question and answer period. The candidates are and they're all here folks. Louis Castro David Finnegan State Representative Mel King a lot of Sherman state senator Joseph temple and the incumbent mayor white barber. Let's welcome our first candidate. DAVID I think again could we have your presentation please. Thanks very much Barbara. And good evening. Well four years ago our city was at the height of crisis. Our schools are falling apart 40 families a week were selling their homes and leaving. City Hall was silent and elected officials were afraid to act. I believed then that we had to hold the line to keep our values and to be decent to one another. And that's why I ran for office and as president of the school committee I've made some tough hard decisions to bring peace to Boston's neighborhood because that's what the job called for.

I push through a comprehensive reorganization plan against diehard opposition. I fight for a budget management system to bring order to school finances. And last year she gave $10 off of the school share the tax rate. I fought to save the neighborhood kindergarten. And I want I fought to save the academic excellence of the Latin schools. And I want I welcome new challenges and I'm not afraid to make tough hard decisions. And that's the kind of mayor I'll make. I wouldn't have it any other way and neither should you. Thank you. OK thank you very much. Could we have your first question please. Jonathan again you have taken pride in your tenure as president of the Boston School Committee. You just articulated most of your record. You've also taken pride in the area of racial tensions. One of your subordinates. So principal of Boston South Boston High School drawing Well it was very much concerned that nobody had spoken out at least not right away at the incident of violence in South Boston with kids going to school bus in the bus. What would you do specifically to

ease racial tensions and improve race relations in the city of Boston specifically. We talk about what I did in Tuesday's situation 40 minutes after receiving the news that we had problems there I was on the scene. I talked with the headmaster with the deputy superintendent. The students sat in the lunch room talk to the kids spend some time speaking to the faculty to determine whether the violence that has taken place had spread inside the school. Satisfied that we had at least the situation in order and the proper security on board. I then issued a statement denouncing the violence and indicating that this city is not going back to the dark days of the violence on the the South Boston or any other neighborhood. I was very clear in those in those comments. HEADMASTER when it made it pretty clear yesterday I think that he was talking about known school officials when he he made his statement about leadership in the city being silent and not standing tall to denounce that kind of action. I think my record of the past four years speaks clearly for a strong effective leadership to quell violence and to calm down racial tensions. And we've gotten the job done and will

continue to do it and leadership is the key to it. It's not what you say it's what you'll do when the chips are down. OK what will you do have a plan you have a program to improve Ursula's. Yes I do I think there are a couple things we can do I've talked about the example that the mayor has to show when the chips are down but beyond that you've got to involve people in the government. I think it's a key thing to involve people minority people throughout this city in the policy making decisions of government and that means that you need representatives from those communities in your administration in high level positions people who are intimately involved in developing and shaping the policy that's going to serve the people of the city of Boston. Without us I think there's always a question about whether people are going to get a fair shake whether they have a voice in government. And my plan is involvement in a deep sense of policy involvement for people in the high level and high ranking positions in administration as well as throughout it and that will go a long way together with the personality of the mayor and his leadership responsibilities to indicate to people that they're involved in their part of the government.

OK. Thank you very much. Conquer we have an expression. Yes Barbara Mr. Finigan most of the major candidates in this race have spoken of their intention to reach out to the gay community and many of them have said they were committed to keeping the gay liaison that Mayor White has appointed and you're the only one who is not. And I want I want to know what you think about that and how you respond to that. Sure I'd indicated that I'm not going to treat the gay community any differently than I would any other community. And that is that the necessarily going to have specifically gays on say any specific community. And I said that during the time I've been in office that the measure by which we judge people is their performance and nothing else. And I mean that I think I've demonstrated that. And I don't necessarily commit myself to having a liaison to the gay community for that reason but they'll be involved in our government and they'll be involved in the policy that defects them and I think that that that's a fair way to act. And I've stated that categorically. I think many gays are frequently concerned about the way they're treated by the police department and frequently by the way they're treated by other city departments that they feel a sense of discrimination a

sense of exclusion. Would you make an effort to bring gays into city government bring gays into the police force the fire department etc.. I'll be just as strong in defending the rights of people in the gay community as I am in any other community make no mistake about it there will be no infringement of any individual's rights of any kind by the police department the city of Boston while Dave Finnigan has made it and that's the kind of commitment you have to make. Simply reaching out in the other direction isn't enough it seems to me that we have to defend people's rights at all times and I'm going to do that right across the board not just singling them out but right across the board for all aspects of the community. OK thank you very much. Can we have our next question from Glenn. Mr. I'm glad you said that you would want to involve minority people in policymaking I think all of us here on this panel as reporters represent a constituency that is a minority group. And yet it's a lot of good rhetoric during political times. You said in an interview with the sampan a Chinese newspaper reporter that you said that there was an absence of a perception of political

clout within the Chinese community. I'm not sure I know what that means but I think we both recognize that the political clout that the Chinese community has is minimal. How would you involve the Chinese community in policy decisions. I think that's a key to it. It is minimal. And that's the problem because when Chinese people are coming to the city administration whether it's about Chinatown itself in the condition the streets there for example which is a disgrace in a city that ought to be down they cleaning the streets and taking care of their communities. When the Chinatown community in the city of Boston really is being squeezed on one side by the combat zone on the other side by the expansion of the New England Medical Center that's where they need to be involved in government. And how do you do it. I would seek out the leaders of the Chinese community. I think we all know are present today an act of behalf of the people and involve them to the extent that they can take a job in city government to be part of it. That's what we want to have. If they can't then I want them to know that city hall is open to them. I want them to know that the mayor is open to them and I'm willing to talk with them and develop the kinds

of approaches that they think are important to the neighborhood in the area of housing clean the streets economic revitalization of development and protecting them in terms of the size of the Squeeze really that is on them between the combat zone and the toughs. Knowing Americans and I think that's the kind of involvement I'm looking for. If they can become part of my administration I welcome it. If they can't i will find a way to get them involved independent of that. OK thank you very much. We were I have a question from Marie a place for Finnick and the fight for equal and quality education for linguistic minorities is not over yet as it will be proven right after the election. In the courts and why do you think that blacks Italians Hispanics Chinese Greeks Cape Verdean support you gays and Haitians should give you their vote. Since you have been heading the school committee that has somewhat impeded their education. Maria let me put it this way. I've been heading the school committee that's done more to expand their learning and some

of these vegetation for the past four years and the school committee in the history of the city recently I think you know that we involve people from all bilingual communities in the developing of a task force to shape curriculum and a comprehensive reorganization of curriculum to provide those opportunities across the city and I think we've done more sorry I have to cut you off. Oh I'm sorry thank you very much. Certainly. OK. I'd like to thank all of you for your questions and Davis and again for your presence and what I'd like to do was ask you a question with reference to the very fact of David's going to get him wanting all minorities and city government. I'd like to know what your feeling is about that. Do you see that being any different from. The government as it stands today. Well I think what he articulated was a sense of involvement I think that the involvement has been the key the cornerstone to his campaign. It's been pretty difficult to draw out specific guidelines and specific details in the process of involvement and we have to I guess go on his word I think Dave Finnigan also

ought to rely heavily. On his record the school committee which obviously he considers to be a good record and which he considers to be one rather tangible that people can rely on. As Maria pointed out in her question she thinks that. That bilingual community is rather distrustful. Of. Her. Pentagon directed getting bilingual education into the into the Boston school system and getting that into the educational process. One of the things we didn't have a chance to mention tonight is its emphasis on neighborhoods and neighborhood revitalization. Here is a pretty specific plan to deal with that. And another thing that he didn't mention is his effort to try and do something about the transportation problems that. People in the city of Boston faced. All of our I guess we have to say that a cornerstone of Finnegan's campaign so far has been neighborhood revitalization and involvement of the city government level level of the same time he plans to cut back he says he's going to cut back on the number of people in city government I don't

know whether that's contradictory or not. But people have a chance to test out test all that out next Tuesday. OK. Thank you. Our second candidate was the incumbent mayor Kevin White. He has not shown as yet he has sent a representative Mr. Joseph Savage. In the selection process mayor White's name came out second. What I'd like to do is ask another question of Mr. Dide and give a third candidate Representative King an opportunity to get into the hot seat of Al what I'd like to do is go back to Mr. Finigan statement answer with reference to Cohen's comment. About the gay community that you hate I don't know how it feels about that. But now ask a specific question on affirmative action for the gay community employment employment in the different areas of city government where

gays would like to have jobs and he didn't answer the question directly. What I actually did was it seems to me was that he said that there was involvement and there was going to be justifiable inclusion. Of the gays but he didn't specifically spell out what might be his affirmative action plan in terms of involving the gay community. I don't know whether or not that was a political sidestep or whether or not he did clearly hear. The mayor's question. Clearly a Coens question do you think. It was that or do you think it was just a rushing for time as he seems to have to be very sincere. Maybe we can get our response to that as well. Be interested in response to how he felt Arthur and Maria and all three asked very pointed questions about their different constituencies and whether or not they felt that they were Finnegan's answer to those questions. I would like your comments as to how you felt the response from the Pentagon.

Well I think a little bell is very general and unspecific appeared to beg the question in a way I think that the gay community has felt at least in the publications that I've read that Mr. Finnegan has sort of avoided the question has refused to make a definite commitment when the other candidates have promised that they'd keep a liaison in City Hall and the gay community feels that especially because of difficult relations with the police department it needs that liaison there. And so I don't think they would be satisfied with that answer. But I think we should make it clear this point that what we're doing right now is filling the eight minute time allotted to the incumbent Mayor White and since Mayor White is not arrived. We are waiting until the next time provided for state representative Melvin King. Probably a good thing that we can do with the minutes we have remaining in this time period that would be. There was normally allotted to the incumbent Mayor White has probably asked the panel what they see

as the major issues in this campaign and I see that in the rear and education is primarily concerned about bilingual education. I wonder you know what do you see it is number one two three issues in the campaign as a reporter who's concerned about the coming election. Another novel of equal time. I think they're probably the biggest issue in Boston for women is this safety. Fourteen women have been murdered in the city of Boston and what they basically want to ask of any person who wants to be mayor is what are you going to do about being safe on the streets and in our homes. That's the biggest issue right now. What do you feel about the reaction that we've gotten so far from the current government. I don't think we've gotten very much of any reaction from the present city government. What do you think that means if you if you were to be so bold as to get asked in terms of the turnout for the women's vote. Well I don't think that the turnout the

turnout was probably going to be based on who is willing to address women's issues. I'm not I'm sure that you are much concerned about the recent move by the Department of Agriculture to allow a nutrition center to be built on the vacant lot across the street from Tufts Medical School. Will that become a political issue you think that is of some concern to the Chinese community and would a massive turn out to the Chinese community have an impact on the election. Well I think it is an issue that is already being discussed and in many quarters that as well as the continuing high incursion by tussling Medical Center as well as the Lafayette Place plan. There are number of questions there that are unanswered. We haven't received any kind of I think attention and U.S.-Chinese community hasn't been getting satisfactory attention in terms of what happens to a small. Community with very little political clout as I referred to in my question to Mr. Finnegan what is a small community with no political clout do when it has no power. How does it address its needs. And we haven't seen tremendous response. I'm

very disappointed that the mayor is not here. I think he's avoided a number of issues and confrontations by people who are asking as voters and as interested community members some hard questions about what he is or is not going to do and what he has or has not done. I think the issues in Chinatown evolved around housing low in middle income housing within the inner city. You could talk about neighborhoods and other areas. What about the inner city. He stands on a record at least the mayor does inner city development. What about the small community as a result. What about the city as a residential area. That's something I'd like to address. Good Lord. The Ballingall education is a major concern to this planet. What are some of the other major issues you have seen them as reported as part of it. Again I think like in the Chinese community I think any any community that does not have the political clout that Lauren mentioned it's the housing health just basic human rights basic

necessities. But we all take for granted that's almost unavailable for the majority of the people who live in the inner city. And right now I think in the Hispanic community we're very difficult to select. Let's put the first three priorities of number one two and three. You'd almost have to put them all at once. Education housing health employment. Those four things really are just as important. Voter turnout will be light same question will there be a large Hispanic vote. Is there a lot of interest and emotion over this campaign. Yes and it's surprising you know this in in the last few days since a group of these panic leaders came out backing the Mayor White the community has gotten quite upset because they feel that they were not consulted on that. And. They did not intend to back the mayor or anybody at that point until

the candidate started addressing their issues and the community is quite upset and I think you will see a large turnout and I would be surprised to get it. OK thank you very much. Thank you Maria. We are at the point now where I've just been informed that male white came by they came so late that it was a he was it was recommended to him by his representative Mr. Savage that he need not come in because it was a little too late at this point. I would like to welcome candidate number three. And as it really is too. OK Representative Mel King and I ask you for your first minute presentation. Good thank you. The issues in this city are very clear but they boil down to a struggle for the mind. A struggle for the land and whether or not Boston is going to be an open city providing

access to all for jobs housing recreation and quality services free from harassment racial sexual violence. The issue is whether we can make Boston reflect the politics of inclusion which is represented in the kind of program that we have here tonight which is represented in the panel that we have before us one which represents a good cross-section of the people in this city working together to make Boston the place for all to participate in. Thank you very much. Well I'd like you our response was with what King said about a cross-section of people being in the city government. Well I did ask him a question. President can you talk about the struggle for the mob. There's also a struggle for the dollar in the

neighborhoods particularly around small businesses small businesses being squeezed by taxation inflation the cost of energy. Do you have a representative plan to revitalize Boston's neighborhoods economically if you're elected mayor. You know I think that the most basic and fundamental approach is to make sure that the resources are directed in a way that they meet needs in the communities. One of the programs that we have successfully gotten through the legislature is the Community Development and Finance Corporation which provides some 10 million bucks for community based economic development. And we have seen the results of this right here in the city of Boston in Codman Square when first national stores left the community got together the business people there and a community development corporation formed. They now have reorg open that store It's called appropriately our market and has

impacted on that neighborhood. To tell you how important that is. When we were not corner campaigning one of the merchants in a drugstore came out and said because a supermarket in uplands corner has left. What are we going to get it reopened. We are hurting without it. City FC could help that community. Roxbury Jamaica Plain both communities both with neighborhood community economic development programs have benefited from the Community Development Finance Corporation creating jobs and helping to solidify those communities. Thank you very much. There we have our next question from Margaret Neville place of King as representative in the legislator. You've continually voted in favor of women's issues. What will you do to assure that women will be placed in high ranking policymaking positions in city government.

We will make sure that policy making decisions at all levels that all of the jobs will reflect the population of women and we will have programs that come out of the commission established which we will support. We're going to go beyond that because we think that there are issues there are issues in training there are issues in access to jobs throughout the city not just in city government but to open up. And we have in our support for the jobs program made sure that women will be included and will get the fair share of the jobs. Thank you very much. We have our next question. Representative King those of us who have been following your campaign from. It's early days have noticed especially in the beginning a great deal of disorganization and confusion. It's gotten a lot better in recent recent days but

it makes me wonder as mayor while you may reflect the views of a lot of people in the city and be very concerned about returning the city to the people well the garbage be collected on time will the streets be plowed. Do you have the managerial ability that the mayor requires. Well I don't think there's any question about that but when you talk about you know in time I hope you notice that the person who is responsible for running the city was not able to be on time. I don't have any question about that. But I think it's important to get out one other thing here because the garbage isn't being collected now the streets are very dirty Boston has a reputation of being one of the most filthy cities in the country. So when you're talking about managerial ability I don't understand why you're not looking at it in terms of the current administration. Now what I think is important is that the job will get done. When you do you centralize in a way that allows the people in the community to deal with the unique issues around the need for us and we will with our

decentralization program set it up in a way that that will be handled very effectively. I just said that I wasn't implying the current administration was any better at it. Thank you. When I go to glare it's like you fall up in your concept that you've been talking about earlier and also that you campaigned on and that is control to the communities. That's nice to say how would you go about getting controls for communities and one of them for example in the area of decentralization is something like the Boston Redevelopment Authority. You talked about that. But if you put that into the hands of a community that is inexperienced that lacks the expertise how will they handle this kind of control and this kind of new power how will it work. First of all we have to dispel the notion that people in communities don't know how to put things together don't know how to make things work. You've seen the great job that he has done. You've seen a great community corporation and rappers done in the rocks returns of Harvard. They have all planned the

kind of resources that are necessary to do that. We will support them. But instead of them having to hire planners to compete with city planners we'll make sure that the city planners are working for them and that is going to be a very major part of the program. We will make sure that the community development block means hands of the people in the community so that they're going to be able to draw on the programs that they need for themselves in those communities. Representative King some blacks Hispanics and other low income people may have already decided not to cast their vote. They're probably tired of the usual campaign rhetoric and really all they know is that they're forced to live in inhuman conditions that their children are not being educated that there are no jobs for them. Winter is coming. No money for heat. Why should they go out. But this is a process that really ignores

them in the long run. Well the process it's left the process ignores them because they're not organizing because they don't come together to set their agenda and say to the candidates we support those who are committed to move on their particular agenda. If they understand that they have that power and they do have that power then they will support a candidacy like mine because we have talked to the issues the issues of housing the issues of jobs the issues of safety on the street the issues of the problems of racial and sexual violence that affect much of us and of our time. I like to thank Representative King. We're coming right to ask you a definition question really about the decentralization program that maybe you can help our viewers understand what that is. Well it's very simple that it's something that we in the city of Boston have experienced for many years I think we've seen it in my anti-poverty programs has been attempted in

little city halls. There were many efforts added at community mental health centers and community health centers. Wherever there was a necessary city service and of that city service can be placed in the many disparate neighborhoods. That's a form of decentralisation trying to give back power and accessibility and some authority to people in neighborhoods that's what he means by decentralization and giving it some community control. He really is suspicious of what we may call the established institutions an established private sector. He has an impressive record in legislation he's made sure that many pieces of his legislation benefit people in the community. There's been some questions raised about his managerial skills and ability but all in all he's been articulating the issues. Thank you very much. I'd like to welcome Senator and ask you for your minute presentation please. Thank you Lavelle. Let me first of all apologized for the sulking attitude of the chief executive who arrived

and was told it was going to be on last because it was late and decided to to leave and not participate. Now you understand the frustration that I've had for a long period of time of wanting to debate the issues that Mel and Mr Finnegan to brought up and not being able to get him in a format where we can talk about the city and talk about some of the things that we know ought to be addressed whether that's the quality of education and the legacy of Kevin White which is public housing will be the conditions of our streets for public safety for access for all people in all neighborhoods. But what those issues that we've not been able to address now because the chief executive of the city has decided not to participate in any of the forums I hope. And that in some way during the final election when Joe runs against Kevin White we're going to force him to pertain to those issues and those issues alone. OK thank you very much. We have this question sort of time of the Boston Housing starts are persons of lower middle or lower income instead of decreasing vacant lots and abandoned houses are

all lost in the Boston housing authorities in the state of receivership and many apartments are being de controlled and converted to condominiums and people are beginning to get worried and even you favor vacancy control do you have a specific plan. Do you worry a lot about housing for Boston's people. And do I worry out loud yes Lavelle and I think of the only candidate that's had an opportunity of of outlining the plan that we have the residential alternatives not only outlining a plan being able to talk about a history of performance in a state legislature outlining plans for public housing and for residential alternatives which includes the first in a nation by the way mortgage agency which last year alone alone 23 million dollars worth of low income mortgage loans all over the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I believe that when you have the kind of housing shortage that you have in the come with the Massachusetts rent control is absolutely mandatory. But along with one control it has to be a plan to develop housing alternatives for

people which would include for example a some kind of mini m conversion that we're doing now in Jamaica Plain. We're going to sell for $13000 per unit and they going to be aimed directly at low and moderate income people who presently live in the city. And besides that the use of co-op ventured doing capital gains operations for tenants in the Back Bay Beacon Hill area so they can own a piece of the rock in the last part of a residential alternatives is to looking at public housing and how it's being run. And we want to get the city of Boston the largest slum landlord out of that business and create community development corporations to run the public housing private manage let the community run it because they do a much better job than the city has. Thank you very much. I think we left off our last question. We have a question from place to move. Women have demanded the repeal of the common street walking laws. And every woman who walks the streets at night is is is likely to be arrested for soliciting.

What is your stand on the recent crackdown on prostitution. I thought I would continue to crack down on prostitution male prostitution female prostitution that we have in the city. I think that those so-called cruising we set a lot of problems with and that has resulted in mugging in a number of other crimes. And my commitment would be to make the city safe and whatever way that I could and I don't think that I say allowing prostitution zones would be a way for us to do that. I would continue in whatever measure possible to crack down on those prostitution areas because I don't think that they bring anything to the city but additional problems. OK THANK YOU ARE SO to Timothy the globe this morning quoted you as saying that he thought the incident in South Boston earlier this week was blown up by the media. Yet there were apparently kids in ski masks who threw rocks at a bus and it appeared to be organized. It seems like a fairly serious incident to me and I wanted to know why you thought it was blown up by the media.

If you get the right quote. I never suggested that it was blown up by the media. In fact I came out very strongly on the lack of response from city officials on a radio broadcast the same day that it happened and issued a statement the following night for anybody to see. Not suggesting it was a blown up incident by the media that any time an incident like that happened. Anybody who is an elected official or repairing any youngster involved ought to be on the scene immediately to put that thing away. I know what I might have said was that I had hoped it was an isolated incident and not a planned incident but it's if I was a being blown up by the media if that was a quote that was suggested by me that's erroneous. Was in the globe. That doesn't make it accurate. Well you said that I didn't. Ok so much of the campaign unfortunately has been a lot of dialogue perhaps between yourself and the mayor but they are indeed other candidates and it seems to me that you haven't or I felt you haven't addressed many of the issues but

spent a lot of time trying to deal with a mayor that isn't responding. Let me ask you to try to deal with a specific question and that is we've talked a lot about you answer the question about housing might work in the neighborhoods. What about the inner city. Let me just suggest that for those of us who watched the campaign as closely as some of the other candidates that have been here and some of the ones that will come forward know that the campaign itself has received very little coverage that's unfortunate. I think that if you find the true story about the campaign is that Joe Tumulty has run the issue oriented campaign. Don't forget it was me who sat back while Kevin White was using the massive campaign fundraising tactics that he had in advertising against me not saying about his administration or his vision for the 1008 myself and the other candidates were talking about public housing public safety housing in general in neighborhoods and doing a lot of talking and we've issued so far 26 issue oriented papers of how I would

do things differently than Kevin White and I make those available to you. On the subject of housing for the inner city I was criticized just recently because I was a neighborhood militant so to speak. I don't know how you define the term neighborhood militant unless it means you take down those big buildings and put up a neighborhood. I believe that you have a stabilized city. When you have stabilize neighborhoods as well as a stabilized downtown I find the Back Bay Beacon Hill Fenway Brighton also myriad to be very viable livable neighborhoods. And when I start talking about alternatives like housing co-ops where tenants have an opportunity in that private residential market of owning a piece of the rock that's talking directly at those neighborhoods which we need as viable alternatives. Difficult in areas like the North then and in Chinatown where the question is question the Band-Aid approach is usually used when minorities start agitating that they want better housing better education better health better everything. And

what specifically do you have in mind for the education of minorities and low income people in the city of Boston which represents now the great majority of the population. It's a difficult one for me to answer in 30 seconds or 30 minutes be better. One of the best ways for us to provide some opportunity for the potential of minority education black brown and white oriental is to give them an opportunity for participation on the school committee and give them an opportunity of deciding the policy that'll be made. I haven't intended all along to create a neighborhood Congress which is going to be made up out of people all over the city. OK thank you very much for coming. Thank you. I'd like to ask your question with reference to a question that Gloria asked. About campaigning against the mayor as opposed to doing that. On issues of concern or frankly even though nobody has issued those

26 position papers the media is not articulate about 26 of those positions. His campaign has primarily focused on what many people consider to be the only issue in the campaign and that is the record of the mayor and by trying to focus on the mayor has been more or less his campaign style even though he has articulated issues. OK thank you very much like to welcome now and are happy a minute presentation. Thanks. I like to use the minute to first of all say that in this short time span it's hard to get into all the issues that our campaign is trying to address and put all our views across so I would just like to say that I urge all the listeners in the viewing audience to call our offices. Our number can be gotten from the Boston directory information. And I urge you to call and subscribe. Ask for our special campaign issue of our little newspapers which cover the issues of the campaign. Our newspaper the Moten and our Spanish language newspaper perspective on the media.

I like to use the rest of my half minute I have left to basically say that. The Socialist candidates are trying to present solutions to the problems of crime unemployment taxes housing rent control and economic development. The main issue in this election we have try to put across is how can the working people the city and especially minority communities begin to gain control of government. How we can put power back in the hands of the people the city to solve the social problems that we face in our city. Thank you very much. I have your first question. Well Mr. Castro frankly but respectfully most people see your point campaign platform like you raises two papers up there a few minutes ago once and the other said Cuba the people in Boston who are worried about living in Boston. Is your campaign much more than just a platform for getting out Socialist Workers Party political issues. No it isn't it goes beyond that. Well first of all I think we could learn a lot about what's happening in the gravel and what's happening in Cuba to straighten out Boston.

But speaking to the issue precisely we believe that we have raised serious campaign try to raise serious solutions real solutions to problems that are that face to the people that see but we think that the real issues how working people can gain control of the government to begin to. Direct the priorities of government to solve the basic human needs of people in the city and they don't what we're trying to say is that the only way that's going to be done is of working people in the city begin to break from the Democratic Party and begin to build a political organization of their own based on working class organizations to defend their rights and their interests. And we've raised solutions we think there are solutions to the problems and we think that it's a beginning. We're trying. No social movement begins from from the start with the majority of the civil rights allies will not be elected mayor let that decision come up to the voters of the city of Boston.

Thank you. I think again one more time we left off of that level where we have you question things. Yes. Some of the concerns of women in the city of Boston are safety on the streets sexual harassment at the workplace cannot repeat. Excuse me pornography and battering in the home. Does your party platform have anything to do with these issues. I think that the principle stand that the government of the city must take is equal rights for women. If we don't recognize equal rights for women then we can begin to address all these other questions and our parties clearly stand and defending the way abortion rights for women and all other important social questions that concern women especially affirmative action to begin to reverse the years of discrimination against women in our society in our city. So our party stands clearly underside of women whereas the basically the Democratic Republican Party which have controlled politics both in our country and in our city have are still floundering on the issues of women's rights.

Thank you. Our economy we have a question from you please. You're running as a Socialist Worker and very much capitalist city. If you were to be elected mayor you would face short great difficulties in implementing your program in fact you would have a great deal of trouble functioning as a socialist. How would you manage the city. How would you bring socialism to Boston. Well the key issue is that I think whether I am elected or any of the other politicians elected that no individual no matter how dedicated he is to the interests of the people. Well how courageous that individual may be by themselves they cannot institute the changes and bring about solutions to the problems that we're calling for. What we need is a broad political movement in the city of working people of the minorities of the one specific thing I want to do as mayor. Well I would use my office not only to begin to try to implement these programs but

to try to stimulate the organization of our community to begin to defend their rights programs. Well on what issue do you want me to address myself address and dressing into the organization I think the key question is our political movement our political political party. OK. Gloria last question can you be specific and try to identify how you would be able for example to develop jobs for the large numbers of unemployment people. We have a three point approach to that one. We think that we have to reduce the workweek from 40 hours to 30 without a reduction in pay. Secondly we have to begin to in that that first measure would allow us to spread the work around to create more jobs. Secondly we have to begin to put people to work to rebuild the city. And that is we would embark in a massive public works program to rebuild needed low cost modern housing for the working people the poor and the elderly the city to build new educational facilities build new hospitals build a

new mass transportation better mass transportation system. And we think that this would go a long way to creating jobs and also addressing the vital needs of this city. And thirdly we would combine that with a strong affirmative action policy with firm quotas to begin to address the special discrimination against minorities and women in the city to reverse that process around. We think that that with that three point approach we can begin to address the problem of jobs and the special problem of jobs for minorities and women. OK. You stated that although you did not expect to win the election you felt it was important for a Spanish name to be on the ballot. Could you explain why. Well I think again the working people sorry in the Hispanic community falls in that category need people in office who represent many not only a voice but somebody who's going to advocate in the fan their interest in government and who is going to direct themselves to gaining real political control

of government for the working people and minority communities of the city. And that's to the end my campaign is directed to. Yes somehow. How do you Mr. Castro ensure that affirmative action plans for the city of Boston will actually be put into use. Quote It's the only way you have to have firm quotas which force employers to begin to hire women minorities to begin to reverse the discrimination that has been prevalent in our society and that that can only be done with quotas which begin to bring minorities and women in representation representation in jobs and in training opportunities to an equal level reflective of their representation in society. Thank you. But also 30 seconds left of my question.

I'm just after one of the things that gives evidence to the fact that you're probably a platform is that you're the only candidate who doesn't rail against the mayor. Because it's an easy target I think we have to talk about the political parties involved. I mean all the candidates are Democrats and basically they for they put forward Band-Aid solutions to the problems that our people face and don't address the question of political power. OK. Thank you very much Mr. Castor. There were some very interesting points that Castro brought up and one of them was to reduce the workweek from 40 hours to 30 with a reduction in pay. Doesn't appear to be a costly venture to get into the city. It's going to get out before it's been worked on before I think what Mr. Castro is really doing is is possibly articulating some dramatic program that will give a lot of work a lot of people but I don't think that he has to worry about it.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Welcome. Mr. Chairman I'd like to ask you for your minute presentation please. Well the viewers have seen almost all the rest. And I say why not choose the best. The key issue that has not been raised by any of the other candidates tonight is the question of economic development for the city of Boston. The kind of economic development that the Sherman administration would attempt to implement is economic development bringing industry and manufacturing high technology jobs high wage high skilled jobs into the city. With that kind of development what we can do is broaden our tax base increase our city services improve police protection lighting water and sewer and not be in a position of being forced to implement austerity in the coming years if the economic trends nationally continue.

Thank you sir. First question a sermon. You're also regarded as a minority candidate Mr. Castro been always content to be lumped into that bag as two people who can't get elected. How do you think the media's been treating you during your campaign. Well I think that the broadcast media has been fair. As a matter of fact more fear in this campaign than any other campaign that we've run the print media is a different story. I think that the editorial position and policies particularly of the newspaper of record in this town is so antithetical to the outlook of myself and my organization that there would be no chance for us to get a fair shot at the Boston Globe. But that's our right because the bottom line is my candidacy is clearly different differentiated from the four

so-called major candidacies in that the solutions that I offer are in a total different orientation and their solutions are very similar on all the issues. Thank you. I can I think with laughter. Mr. Sherman did talk about bringing in industry with high technology jobs. What will that do for the poor of the city particularly the people that live in public housing which has just been placed in receivership. The people that don't have the skills to work in high technology jobs. Well I don't see and I don't view any population in the city is fixed. All right. I view people and as all having creative potential all having productive capacities the question is matching up an educational system in this city training programs in this city with industry of the future. If you can do that then you're not you're going to have a labor shortage. And

the kind of economic programs that I'm talking about and the kind of training programs that I've talked about throughout my campaign will provide the kind of jobs that are new it will be a political to any element of the population whether they live in public housing private housing wherever you're talking about something it will take a while what do we do tomorrow about the people that live in public housing in the dilapidated conditions. Well there are two policies that I advocate in relationship to housing public and private. One as a leader of the rent control movement in the late 1960s I'd advocate a strong rent and eviction control law without vacancy decontrol which is the coward's way of ending rent control without saying you're going about doing it. Secondly what that will do what that will do is hopefully dry up the speculative market in housing and open the door for investment and new housing. Secondly as far as

public housing is concerned you know there has been a process in this administration which says when it gets hot in the kitchen you run out and let somebody else take the heat. I would attempt to bring public housing out of the courts back into city hall reorganize the Boston Housing Authority and go about the business of developing new affordable housing in the city. OK thank you very much. We have less of those Mrs. Scherman. I'm just curious and I think it's probably something that is because the lack of media coverage and in your campaign why is it that you want to be mayor of a city that has such a large population of minority people and how do you address the minority people. Well I'm a Republican with a small r.. I think cities urban areas historically have played an incredible role in bringing people together you know and

allowing them to realize their potential as productive citizens to the city to a city to a state to a country and to the world. What on there is a world out there that is demanding high technology goods and services. The city of Boston is in an unique position to provide that to the rest of the world if we bring if we develop that kind of view when vision for the population. People who are immigrants here who don't perhaps speak the language and who perhaps don't understand even the system that we live in are you providing jobs and have. Well as I as I was saying before obviously there has to be a two fold problem. A process that goes on in terms of language and so on. We have to expand the the pro programs already existing in the schools not only in the schools but outside of the schools to

overcome. Help people who cannot speak speak English or overcome that problem. But that has to go along part and parcel with training programs for the future not for the past. OK thank you very much but really we have a question about the language problem and what you see is one of the possibilities how to help linguistic minorities. There is and there has been a bilingual education law as I know for 10 years and they're still in court trying to fight the school department and everyone else to implement the law. What specifically do you see in the way he benefits in having a bilingual community in the city of Boston. Oh absolutely. It's the culture of the West is a rich culture. All citizens in the city of Boston and in this country

should share in the culture of the world. And this city is made up of residents who come from different backgrounds different cultures. That's one. Secondly in terms of bilingual education the mayor has control over the community schools. He may not have direct control over the school department but he does have control over the course community school program. I would suggest that if elected mayor the black bilingual education programs in the city via the mediation of the community schools would be expanded to include children and adults. OK thank you very much. I think you sound system. We have about 30 seconds left I'd like to ask you about the last two candidates do you think they're going to get a serious turn around you know when I don't think they're going to get a serious vote I think they're going to get probably less than five or six percent of the vote I think though one can

say that they have had an opportunity to articulate their views and maybe some of their views have been appropriated by the next elected mayor. That's probably one big hope that they can say this the service they had in that in this election. OK thank you. Thank you all. I want to say something to you. There is no question about it the man who sits in the Merrill Bostons chair sits in the hottest seat in town. Why should you vote. Well to me it's simple. For example if your street or home is unsafe the next mayor is in charge of the police who will answer your call for help. If your taxes are too high if you're having trouble with a garbage collection or street lighting road paving or snow removal the next mayor is a man who spends your tax money to do all that if you're disgusted with vacant lots and abandoned homes you can see all over Boston. The next mayor is the man with the plan. The key to this election in my judgment is turnout. You're tired out your block of votes your family friends and neighbors together. You can't control who sits in the hottest seat in town. Vote Tuesday

September 25th. It's important. All right thank you much. I'd like to thank all of you my panelists. All of the people that were here tonight and even those who tried it did not make it to him next week Chris a brother from the Valdai Barbara Brown Mary goodnight.