Description: Richard Voke announces projected budget deficit of $2.3 billion. Reps. Reinstein, Miceli, DeFilippi and Barbara Gray at angry Ways & Means hearing.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/09/1990
Description: Housing activists go to Massachusetts House Ways and Means Chairman Thomas Finneran's office to 'evict' him because of his budget proposal. The protesters are arrested. Human service advocates and religious leaders also hold separate protests. The house is debating local aid and tax increases. Rep. Thomas Finneran talks about his budget in the House Chambers. Interviews with Reps. John McDonough and Stanley Rosenberg suggesting new taxes are needed to support services.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/21/1991
Description: Mayor Ray Flynn proposes million-dollar cut in Boston Public Library funds. Flynn cites funding used for new positions, fringe benefits, and unnecessary accouterments instead of library services. Library representative speaks in BPL courtyard about the effect of cutbacks. Footage of employees working at circulation and card catalog. Brief clip of Congressman William Bulger in court. Various Library representatives explain job functions and loss at BPL. Flynn explains that library fund must be focused on branch services instead of fringe benefits.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 06/27/1989
Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports that many African American legislators are opposed to the adoption of the latest version of the state budget proposed by the Ways and Means Committee of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Vaillancourt reviews the proposed budget, which includes cuts in rental assistance and welfare assistance. The budget also includes cuts to the Department of Social Services and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. Interview with State Rep. Shirley Owens Hicks, State Rep. Byron Rushing, and Louis Elisa of the Boston chapter of the NAACP at a breakfast meeting of the Massachusetts Legislative Black Caucus. Owens Hicks and Elisa talk about the need for funding of human services. Rushing says that many voters are not opposed to new taxes to fund human services. Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Richard Volk talks about the proposed budget in the chambers of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following items: Maureen Hart Hennessey of the Norman Rockwell Museum and African Americans in the paintings of Norman Rockwell
1:00:11: Visual: Shots of a breakfast meeting of the Black Caucus. Shots of attendees at the breakfast including Byron Rushing (State Representative). Meg Vaillancourt reports that African American legislators are concerned about the adoption of the budget proposed by the Ways and Means Committee of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Vaillancourt notes that African American legislators are concerned about cuts to specific areas of the budget. V: Footage of Shirley Owens Hicks (State Representative) saying that cuts to the budget will affect the poor; that many people depend on the services provided by state agencies. Vaillancourt reports that Richard Volk (Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee) unveiled a budget which cuts $582 million from the budget proposed by Michael Dukakis (Governor of Massachusetts); that the budget includes no new taxes. V: Shot of Volk in the House chambers. Volk stands at a podium to explain the proposed budget. On-screen text details some of the cuts included in the budget proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee. Vaillancourt reports that the House Ways and Means budget includes an $8.5 million decrease in rental assistance and a $12 million decrease in emergency welfare assistance. Vaillancourt notes that the budget cuts $6 million from the Department of Social Services; that the budget cuts $20,000 from the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD). Vaillancourt reports that the House Ways and Means budget increases spending on AIDS prevention, elder services, and drug treatment. V: Footage of Rushing saying that the House Ways and Means budget did not cut some areas; that the budget increased spending in other areas. Rushing says that the House Ways and Means Committee proposed spending more money on drug treatment than Dukakis did. Shot of the Massachusetts State House. Vaillancourt reports that legislators are aware of the popular revolt against new taxes; that the minority community may be more receptive to the governor's call for new taxes. V: Footage of Rushing being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Rushing says that his constituents favor new taxes; that many voters all over the state probably favor new taxes. Rushing says that many state representatives are not listening to their constituents. Footage of Owens-Hicks being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Vaillancourt asks Owens-Hicks if she will vote for new taxes. Owens-Hicks says that she is not opposed to some elements of the new tax package; that she supports a capital gains tax; that she is not opposed to cigarette or alcohol taxes. Owens-Hicks says that she will not endorse a gasoline tax. Footage of Louis Elisa (Boston chapter of the NAACP) being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Elisa says that every citizen of the Commonwealth needs to reaffirm their commitment to human services and to their neighbors. Elisa says that the state legislators cannot play politics when there are lives at stake.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 02/24/1989
Description: Boston mayoral debate from the 1975 campaign. 1975 mayoral campaign debate in WGBH studio, moderated by Pam Bullard, Ed Baumeister, and Gary Griffith, between Mayor Kevin White, Robert Gibbons, Senator Joseph Timilty, and Norman Oliver. Main topic is busing for school integration. Timilty believes that busing is a waste of resources; Gibbons believes that busing was forced by government and should be stopped. Discussion of budget: White is attacked for his handling of state funds. Timilty claims Boston is on verge of bankruptcy. White claims that he has tried to take politics out of City Hall. There is much bickering between Baumeister and Gibbons. Oliver says that Boston Police Department is not operating in the interest of the black community in the city. Timilty gives closing address, talks about type of city citizens want. Oliver closing address: vows to stand up against racism. Gibbons closing address: create neighborhoods for productive working class. White closing address: proud of his record in eight years as mayor. Talks about trying to balance the city fiscally. Ed Baumeister signs off.
Collection: Evening Compass, The
Date Created: 09/02/1975
Description: Hope Kelly reports that Superintendent Laval Wilson proposed a set of reforms to improve the Boston Public Schools in the beginning of his tenure as superintendent. Kelly reviews Wilson's proposals for school reforms and notes that the programs were backed by the Boston School Committee. Kelly's report includes footage of Wilson in 1985 and footage of Wilson announcing his school reform package. The Boston School Committee has recently cut Wilson's budget by $8.5 million. Kelly reviews the budget cuts. Interviews with John Nucci (Boston School Committee), Sam Tyler (Boston Municipal Research Bureau), and Ellen Guiney (Educational Advisor to Mayor Flynn) about the budget cuts. Kelly reviews the budget figures for municipal spending on education from 1984 to 1989 and budget figures for overall city spending from 1986 to 1988. Kelly notes that the city's spending on education has greatly increased from 1984. She notes that critics believe that the School Department is not spending its money wisely. Kelly reports that the city will need to curb its spending in the next few years due to the absence of budget surpluses. Kelly's report is accompanied by footage of students in the Boston Public Schools.
1:00:19: Visual: Footage of Dr. Laval Wilson (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) being interviewed by the Boston School Committee for the position of superintendent of schools on July 19, 1985. Wilson says that his goal is to convince the members of the Boston School Committee that he is the best candidate for the position. Hope Kelly reports that Wilson took over the Boston Public School System at a time when the average graduating senior reads at a seventh-grade level. Kelly notes that the average drop-out rate is 43%. V: Shots of high school students outside of a high school; of students descending a stairs in a school building. Kelly notes that Wilson approached the job with determination. V: Footage of Wilson saying that his goal is to lift the educational level of the students coming out of the Boston public school system. On-screen text and visuals detail the specifics of Wilson's proposed educational programs. Kelly reports that Wilson proposed a set of reforms called the Boston Education Plan. Kelly notes that Wilson proposed a $3.1 million dollar program for after-school remedial reading; that Wilson proposed a $1.3 million program to standardize remedial reading programs city-wide. Kelly notes that the School Committee backed Wilson's programs when he arrived. Kelly reports that the School Committee cut Wilson's budget by $8.5 million on Wednesday. V: On-screen text detail the specifics of the budget cuts. Kelly reports that Wilson proposed a budget of $364.6 million; that the School Committee cut his budget to $355.9 million; that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) has refused to spend more than $350.0 million on the school budget. V: Shot of Flynn talking to reporters. Footage of John Nucci (President, Boston School Committee) saying that the city administration does not understand the impact of its cuts to the school budget. Kelly reports that Sam Tyler (Boston Municipal Research Bureau) runs an agency which monitors city spending. V: Footage of Tyler being interviewed by Kelly. Tyler says that city officials were thinking about the future when they asked the School Department to keep its spending to within $350 million. Tyler says that the superintendent cannot introduce new programs and expect them all to be funded. Footage of Ellen Guiney (Flynn's Education Advisor) being interviewed by Kelly. Guiney says that $350 million is what the city can afford to spend on education. On-screen text and visuals detail the city of Boston's spending on education from 1984 to 1989. Kelly reports that the city has increased its spending on schools from $245 million in 1984 to $341.1 million in 1989. V: Footage of Guiney says that some city officials in other departments think that the School Department already receives too much money. Kelly reports that some critics wonder if the School Department is spending its money wisely. V: Shot of two elementary-school students in front of a computer terminal. Footage of Tyler saying that the school system has improved. Kelly reports that Nucci points to a 1% decrease in the drop-out rate. Kelly notes that Guiney points to improved teacher salaries and more teachers; that Guiney admits that there have been few actual performance gains by students. V: Shot of Nucci; of Guiney; of a white male teacher in a classroom. Footage of Guiney saying that she would have liked to have seen greater improvements in the last five years. Shot of an African American girl coloring a picture in a classroom. Kelly reports that spending by the city has risen overall in the past five years. V: On-screen text compares the rise in city spending to the rise in school spending from 1986 to 1988. Kelly reports that city spending has risen 34% since 1986; that school spending has risen 23% since 1986. Kelly stands in front of the offices of the Boston School Committee. Kelly reports that the city had surpluses from 1986 to 1988; that it is less certain that surpluses will exist in future city budgets. V: Footage of Tyler saying that the city needs to put a brake on its spending. Shot of elementary school students entering a classroom.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/06/1988
Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports that Jesse Jackson has challenged Michael Dukakis to come out with a budget for his proposed domestic programs, during a campaign debate. Dukakis has refused to release a budget so far. Interview with Issues Dirextor for the Dukakis campaign, Christopher Edley, who says that Dukakis is an experienced chief executive and that he does not need to release a budget during a presidential campaign. Vaillancourt reviews Dukakis's proposals on day care, affordable housing, and drugs. She notes that he has not talked about a budget for these proposals. Interview with community activist and Jackson supporter Mel King, who also supports Jackson in his demand for Dukakis's budget. Dukakis has talked about funding for his education proposals and for his "Rebuild America" proposal. Vaillancourt reviews Dukakis' budget priorities and notes that he would fund increases in domestic funding through cuts in the defense budget. Vaillancourt reviews the events of Dukakis's first term as Governor of Massachusetts. She notes that a massive state debt forced Dukakis to raise taxes and cut spending.
1:00:02: Visual: Footage of Jesse Jackson (Democratic US Presidential candidate) and Michael Dukakis (Democratic US Presidential candidate) at Steel Valley Debate in Pennsylvania. Jackson says that "Reaganomics" must be reversed. The audience applauds. Meg Vaillancourt reports that Jackson has challenged Dukakis to come up with a budget detailing which domestic programs need support and how Dukakis would pay for them. Vaillancourt notes that Dukakis has stuck to his own script; that he has refused to enter into a budget battle with Jackson. V: Footage of Dukakis at the debate. Dukakis says that partnerships between Washington DC, management, and labor need to be built. Vaillancourt reports that public-private partnerships are the key to Dukakis's domestic programs. V: On-screen visuals and text detail Dukakis's positions on day care, affordable housing, and drugs. Vaillancourt reports that Dukakis has called for "'a national partnership to create affordable day care for all'"; that Dukakis's position paper carries no price tag for his day care program. Vaillancourt reports that Dukakis supports a reallocation of money to build more affordable housing; that Dukakis's position paper carries no price tag for the affordable housing program. Vaillancourt reports that Dukakis would fight drugs by restoring funds to the Coast Guard and to other enforcement measures; that Dukakis's position paper carries no price tag for his anti-drug program. V: Shot of Jackson at the campaign debate. Footage of Christopher Edley (Issues Director for the Dukakis campaign) being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Edley says that Dukakis is an experienced chief executive; that Dukakis has put together ten balanced budgets in his tenure as Governor of Massachusetts. Edley says that an electoral campaign is not the time to put together a budget. Footage of Mel King (Jackson supporter) saying that the voters need to know about Dukakis's priorities; that voters need to know where Dukakis will find the money to implement his programs. Vaillancourt notes that Dukakis has talked about the budgets for two of his programs. V: Shots of Dukakis and Jackson at the campaign debate. On-screen text and visuals detail Dukakis's positions on job creation and education. Vaillancourt reports that Dukakis's "'Rebuild America'" program would "invest $500 million from federal government to regional development." Vaillancourt reports that Dukakis supports increasing the education budget by $250 million in his first year. Vaillancourt reports that Jackson would raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy to pay for his domestic programs; that Dukakis would like to generate additional money by cracking down on tax cheats and by making the government more efficient. V: Shots of Dukakis and Jackson at the campaign debate. On-screen text and visuals detail Dukakis's budget priorities. Vaillancourt reports that Dukakis will "finance all new domestic spending through cuts in Star Wars." V: Shot of King being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Footage of Dukakis speaking at a press conference in 1974. Vaillancourt reports that Dukakis promised no new taxes in his first campaign for governor of Massachusetts in 1974; that the massive state debt forced him to raise taxes and to cut spending. V: Footage of King being interviewed by Vaillancourt. King says that Dukakis has not learned the lesson of 1974; that Dukakis has not honored his commitments to meet the needs of people on welfare. King says that voters need to know where the money will come from for his programs. Vaillancourt notes that Dukakis probably does not want to quote specifics in order to avoid becoming the captive of special interest groups. V: Shot of Dukakis at the campaign debate. Footage from C-Span of Walter Mondale (1984 Democratic US Presidential candidate). Vaillancourt reports that Dukakis has avoided giving Jackson specifics outside of the areas of job creation and welfare reform; that Dukakis has left himself room to maneuver in the general election.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/25/1988
Description: Reporters set up microphones at podium. Archibald Cox chairs a press conference on judicial reform and court reorganization. He describes the effects and causes of delays in the Massachusetts courts and the budgets associated with the courts. He is flanked by Alan Sisitsky, Michael Dukakis, Kevin Harrington, Michael Flaherty, and Francis Bellotti. He thanks committee that did the study. Attorney General Francis Bellotti expresses his support of the committee, which he hopes will be able to bring about the necessary judicial reform.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 12/08/1976
Description: Governor Michael Dukakis press conference on the high costs of health care delivery and the Medicaid budget. He discusses the tight budget for the next fiscal year.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/18/1976
Description: Governor Edward King's first press conference in office. Lieutenant Governor Thomas O'Neill sits next to King throughout. King talks about the Cabinet meeting he just had about the administration's future plans. He takes questions from the press, mostly focused on the budget.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/24/1979