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Boston '24 Faces New Questions, Turmoil After Revelation Over Tax-Money Plans

Revelations that Boston '24 "planned to tap taxpayer cash to pay for land and cover infrastructure costs to host the Olympics has caught even some of the state’s highest-ranking officials off-guard and is fueling warnings by bid critics, who called the developments 'devastating' to the committee’s quest to win over the public," according to Matt Stout of the BOSTON HERALD. Plans sent to the USOC in December called for Boston to "fund 'land acquisition and infrastructure costs' at Widett Circle, where a temporary Olympic stadium is being proposed." It "comes after months of promises that the group planned to run a privately funded Olympics." Mayor Martin Walsh on Thursday reiterated that his stance is "against using taxpayer money to fund building venues, but said he supports using it for infrastructure and would 'not rule out tax incentives' if it could spur long-term economic development in the city." The revelations "surprised even those who have met behind closed doors with the bid committee" (BOSTON HERALD, 5/29). In Boston, Arsenault & Levenson in a front-page piece note the revelation “has inflamed critics and renewed questions about the committee’s commitment to a privately funded Games.” Olympic opponents “seized on the reports to suggest Boston 2024 has been disingenuous in its longstanding promise of a privately funded Olympics” (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/29). A BOSTON HERALD editorial states it “turns out the powers that be at Boston 2024 were, shall we say, less than candid about the level of public dollars that would be committed to actually make this happen.” The editorial: “We know, you’re all simply shocked about all that. Imagine, the ‘trust us, this will cost the public nothing’ turns out to be not quite true” (BOSTON HERALD, 5/29).

FROM CITY HALL: Walsh on Thursday said the “actual plan” for hosting the Games will be given to the USOC, which will “spell out how you actually pay for the venues and where the venues are going to be located and how the financing will work.” Walsh: “I am not using taxpayers’ money to build venues. Now what’s in this document is looking at tax incentives to build private development which would support these different areas but I am not using taxpayers’ money. I can’t use taxpayers’ money. I’ve made it clear, plus taxpayers don’t want their money (used for Olympic venues).” Walsh said the “plan is going to be where the venues are going to be located and how you put those deals together,” and the other “piece is going to be the financing” to pay for the venues. Walsh said a “lot of this is going to be paid for by the Olympics itself, by revenue from TV,” by “raising private funds” and “tax incentives.” But Walsh said there is "going to have to be some taxpayer money" spent on infrastructure and security." Walsh said the Olympic bid is “speeding up the process” in terms of infrastructure improvements, but the city is “growing at such a big pace that we need to make infrastructure improvements regardless” if the Olympics are held in Boston or not (“The Dennis & Callahan Morning Show,” WEEI-FM, 5/28).

HOLDING THE BROOKLINE: In Boston, Ishkanian & Arsenault report the Brookline, Mass., Town Meeting on Thursday night “voted to formally oppose Boston 2024’s bid to host the Olympic Games, and urged Brookline’s local and state representatives to actively resist the plans.” The late-night vote “came after those opposed talked about the financial liability associated with hosting an Olympic Games, and complained that the town was never consulted about hosting events that were included in a bid submitted last year.” The vote “could be a symbolic blow at a critical time for the local bid committee” (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/29).

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