Harvard Professor To Serve As CCA President This Year

The Cambridge Civic Association (CCA), a progressive political group, announced the election of Peter M. Lange, assistant professor of Government as its new president yesterday.

Robert M. Neer, assistant professor of Medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital, will serve as the new treasurer for 1977.

At the first CCA meeting this year Lange told a group of 100 that the top priority of the organization is to elect five liberal City Council members and three liberals to the School Committee in this year's election.

"We must build a solid base to work at tapping a broad coalition of voters which will allow us to effectively pursue our goals," Lange said.

Lange said the CCA would alos direct its efforts toward establishing the post of Police Commissioner for the city and making sure the efforts to renovate Kendall Square are handled properly.

Neer said the organization's financial problems are severe and promised to work at increasing membership which "continues, as always, to be a problem."

"This year's election will be won door to door and block by block, and we'll need more members," Neer said.

City Manager James L. Sullivan spoke to the group saying "The financial problems of Massachusetts cities are rearing their heads like never before this year and worse than any other state in the Union."

Sullivan said Boston is "insolvent" because of skyrocketing expenditures and will face bankruptcy unless Gov. Michael S. Dukakis intervenes with state financial support.

Cambridge has its share of problems, too, Sullivan said, including an unexpected $250-million snow removal bill.