Boston Public Radio

Amid scandals concerning overtime fraud and domestic abuse allegations against the city's now-former police commissioner, Andrea Cabral called any hopes of quick-fix reform to Boston's police department "a pipe dream."

Brian Moskwetah Weeden is the youngest person to hold the position of tribal council chair.

Douglass Williams speaks about his restaurant, MIDA, coming out of the pandemic.

Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price III said more needs to be done to compensate victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre and their families.

“It stands in the way of anything getting done,” Andrea Cabral said about weaknesses within the Democratic Party.

Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, said the Boston Police Department needs sustained internal pressure, along with increased funding, to become the force that the city deserves.

We had our Ballot Question 1 debate with Mary Connaughton from the Pioneer Institute arguing yes, and political science professor Jerold Duquette arguing no.Adam Ezra for Live Music Friday performed and talked about his work raising hundreds for homeless veterans.Gina McCarthy & Johanna Neumann discussed the stakes for this November’s election as it relates to climate action.Comedian Jenny Slate talked about her new book called LIFEFORM.

Today:BPR hosts a debate on Ballot Question 1, which would grant the state auditor authority to audit the finances and workings of the legislature. Mary Connaughton, director of government transparency and COO at the Pioneer Institute, argues for YES on 1. Jerold Duquette, professor of political science at Central Connecticut State University and co-founder of MassPoliticsProfs.org, argues for NO on 1.

Today:Roxana Rivera, co-chair of the Yes on 3 coalition and Assistant to the President at 32BJ SEIU, joins to discuss Ballot Question 3 - which would allow rideshare drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft to collectively bargain for better working conditions. Mass Fiscal Alliance wrote the opposition memo for this ballot question in the Secretary of State's voter guidebook, but no group formally launched an opposition to it. Mass Fiscal declined BPR's request to debate the issue.

Roxanna Rivera joins as a representative for Yes on 3 and United Justice. She makes the case for ballot question 3, which would allow ride share workers the right to unionize. Representatives from the group Mass. Fiscal Alliance, who wrote the official language for the “no” side, say they are not a ballot question committee and declined our invitation to join. Then we opened the phone lines to hear from listeners about how they plan to vote.Former secretary of public safety Andrea Cabral reacts to Nebraska’s high court ruling in favor of allowing people with felony records to vote. She also discussed the latest death-row case out of Texas involving a man who advocates say was falsely accused.Mass Education Sec. Patrick Tutwiler joins for his first-ever interview with Jim & Margery. He talks about why he's in favor of keeping MCAS graduation requirements, plans to divvy out $20 million for early literacy, and efforts to bolster student mental health support. Rep. Ayanna Pressley joins with reflections on Harris’ interview Brett Baier on Fox and the state’s new liquor license law and violence in the Middle East.Then it's Am I the A-hole day.

Today:We bring you our debate on ballot question 2 - whether to eliminate the MCAS exam as a graduation requirement. Representing YES on 2 is Deb McCarthy, vice president of the Massachusetts Teachers Union. Representing NO on 2 is Keri Rodrigues, co-founder of the National Parents Union.And, Sunita Williams, NASA astronaut and commander of expedition 72 zooms into us from the International Space Station. She’s part of the Starliner crew who’s original 8-day mission has been delayed to 8-months because of technical problems.