The severe MBTA delays on all subway lines today prompted some to compare the frustrating congestion to what Boston could look like if it’s chosen to host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. To give the Boston public a greater voice on an Olympics decision, Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim filed an order to place four questions on the next municipal election ballot.
“Robust and meaningful civic participation is the hallmark of a truly exceptional city,” Councilor Zakim said. “Hosting the 2024 Olympics is indeed an opportunity to showcase our wonderful city to the world. But it also presents a number of potential issues for Boston residents, from the everyday to the deeply complex.”
Councilor Zakim will present his order to his constituent councilors at Wednesday’s meeting scheduled for 12 p.m.
According to the order, the following questions could appear on the ballot for the November 3, 2015 election, pending majority vote from the council and approval by Mayor Marty Walsh:
1. Should Boston host the 2024 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games (the “Games”)? YES/NO
2. If Boston were to host the 2024 Olympics, should the City commit any public money to support the Games? YES/NO
3. If Boston were to host the 2024 Olympics, should the City make any financial guarantees to cover cost overruns for the Games? YES/NO
4. If Boston were to host the 2024 Olympics, should the City use its power of eminent domain to take private land on behalf of the Games? YES/NO
Order for Referendum – 2024 Olympics
The referendum is non-binding, however, which Brian McNiff, spokesman for Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin, told BostInno means it could simply be ignored.
Another option for the public to get an Olympics referendum is to follow the rather convoluted steps to put the question on a statewide ballot.
Mayor Walsh, who would need to approve Councilor Zakim’s order should it receive a majority of the City Council’s votes, has said that if enough signatures are gathered statewide, he’d gladly abide by a vote.
But he also explicitly stated that he’s not in favor of any referendum, so it’s certainly feasible that he’l override the non-binding referendum.
“Mayor Walsh is not in support of a referendum on the Olympics,” said Laura Oggeri, Chief Communications Officer for the City of Boston. “He looks forward to engaging in a robust community process and having a two-way conversation with all neighborhoods as we move forward. Should the public decide to collect signatures for a referendum, that is a right of the people that the Mayor fully supports.”
Councilor Zakim’s chief of staff, Dan Sibor, told BostInno that the councilor isn’t worried that Mayor Marty Walsh could override the non-binding referendum. His office hasn’t received any indication of what the mayor might do, so they’re just trying to give Bostonians a platform to be heard.
“Our mindset here is that this is the right thing to do,” said Sibor. ” The mayor has to make his own decisions. We’re just trying to control what we can control.”
Right now, it’s unclear how Mayor Walsh plans to proceed.
