1934: Birmingham-led Meeting Fails To Agree on Mayor Mansfield’s Cuts

Boston Mayor Frederick Mansfield

On April 4, Rep. Birmingham called a meeting of Democratic legislators from Boston to discuss the legislative program put forward by Boston Mayor Frederick Mansfield, but the lawmakers were unable to reach consensus (Boston Globe, April  5, 1934, pp. 1, 16).

As a result each member was left free to decide for himself whether to support or oppose the mayor’s legislative program, which includes authorizing the mayor to consolidate city departments without the approval of the city council.

The mayor’s program was contained in legislation before the Committee on Cities.

The mayor’s program included putting 1,800 Public Works Department per diem employees on a five-day pay basis, which would result in a pay cut from $27 on to $22.50 per week. The change would cut total salaries by 21 percent.

Under former Mayor Curley, the department workers were paid for six days for five and half days of work.
In addition, department employees on a yearly salary would be required to take a month’s leave of absence without pay to balance the situation, the paper reported.

After announcing the program, Mansfield traveled to New York to address a luncheon club on Wall Street. Acting mayor John Dowd, president of the city council, said he was opposed to Mayor Mansfield’s economy program.

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