Silber Enters Bay State Governor's Race

BOSTON University President John Silber Wednesday entered the Massachusetts governor's race. Mr. Silber joins Lt. Gov. Evelyn Murphy, former Attorney General Francis Bellotti, and state Rep. John Flood of Canton in seeking the Democratic nomination.

``We are in a crisis so serious that only a governor who is independent and who is smart enough and tough enough to make hard choices can turn this crisis into an opportunity,'' Mr. Silber told supporters.

Speaking in Boston's historic Old South Meeting House, Silber said state taxes should not be increased until the governor has conducted a thorough review to eliminate waste.

Silber is running as an outsider, but he has powerful friends, including state Senate President William Bulger. Some reports have said Senator Bulger will help Silber round up the 15 percent of delegate votes at the June convention needed to get on the Democratic primary ballot. But Bulger's administrative assistant, Paul Mahoney, says ``there is no indication that he will assist the [Silber] campaign in any way.''

Boston Mayor Raymond Flynn may also seek the Democratic nomination. But his prospects may have dimmed in the controversy surrounding his handling of the Carol Stuart murder case.