Councilor Sears Receives Award From Republicans

The Harvard Republican Club yesterday named Boston City Councilor John W. Sears '47, "Republican of the Year." The Club presented Sears, the first Republican Councilor since 1949, with a plaque at a dinner in his honor at Quincy House.

Speaking to a small group of students after the dinner, Sears warned of the coming budget cuts that will result from the enactment of Proposition 2 1/2. "The first year after Proposition 2 1/2 will be lean," Sears said, adding that there will be extensive cuts in essential services, such as schools, hospitals and the fire and police departments.

Sears said the fiscal irresponsibility of Boston Mayor Kevin White prompted the need for the proposition. White "has painted the city of Boston into a corner," Sears added.

The Mayor was not the only target of Sears' criticism. The city's municipal unions are responsible for bringing down both productivity and cost-effectiveness, Sears said adding that, "They are a problem, not a solution."