City Officials Plan Conference On Racial Balance, Tax Cut

City officials will meet with Cambridge residents Saturday to discuss school desegregation and other controversial topics facing Cambridge.

More than 500 church, community and business leaders have been invited to the session; Cambridge Mayor Francis H. Duehay '55 said yesterday other interested residents may register in advance for the conference by phoning his office.

Three Strikes

William Lannon, superintendent of schools, will discuss options for achieving racial balance in the city's public schools at the meeting. Three plans, which will be unveiled for the first time Thursday night, call for redistricting, voluntary magnet school programs and other measures to maintain integration in the city's schools without busing.

Assistant city manager David Vickery will also outline new initiatives on housing and economic development in the city at the meeting.

City manager James L. Sullivan will tell community leaders that state tax-cutting initiatives, including the controversial Proposition 2 1/2, could devastate municipal services, a source in the manager's office said yesterday.

The manager may also discuss "the virtual impossibility all municipalities face in accommodating the present state-imposed 4-per-cent tax cap with inflation running at over 15 per cent," the source added.

"Cambridge will be facing new community challenges," Duehay said yesterday. "I hope this conference will be useful in helping individuals and institutions in Cambridge to face these issues optimistically, effectively and intelligently," he added.