lso a lawyer as well as a banker and real-estate investor. However, Hicks ran against Kevin White in a bitter election. White defeated Hicks again in 1971, and entered office during a time when racial tensions in Boston were ready to explode (O'Connor, 254). Kevin White had to deal with the busing crisis, and his administration came under attack from neighborhood coalitions which wanted a bigger voice in local politics and decisions affecting their communities (O'Connor 261).
Leaders in the black communities in Boston were very critical of White's politics. They believed that he was not doing anything to solve the anger and frustrations of working-class blacks who were not getting jobs and who were being denied community services. These leaders accused White of being solely interested in political perks and power. When he made budget cutbacks which resulted in fewer operational police and fire stations, he was denounced for endangering local communities (O'Connor 265-266).
According to White's political opponents, he was a prime example of corruption in the Boston area's political scene. They said he forced city employees to contribute to his political campaigns. Also, his opponents claimed that he had accepted a form of bribery from local political backers, evidenced by the fact that he parceled out desired city jobs to them after becoming mayor for the fourth time. Once his opponents were convinced that White was a corrupt politician, they pointed out every infract
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