Opponents plan own ballot question next year

Another effort to create a ballot referendum on the 2024 Olympic Games is full speed ahead as Evan Falchuk, founder of the United Independent Party, released draft language of a 2016 ballot question on Wednesday morning.

“The language we have drafted supports the Olympics by requiring that they be privately funded, as has been proposed by Boston 2024,” said Falchuk in a statement. Later, Falchuk invited Boston 2024 to “sign on” to his proposed referendum language.

The language states:

“No state agency or other state entity shall expend any state funds to aid or further the 2024 Olympics.

No state agency or other state entity shall provide any guaranty, incur any liability or obligation, directly or indirectly, or incur any debt, to aid or further the 2024 Olympics.

Because efficient transportation, including the MBTA, is essential to the economy of the state and would also benefit the 2024 Olympics, nothing in this act is intended to prevent any state agency or other state entity from spending state funds for fixing or improving the state transportation system, even if such expenditures would also benefit the 2024 Olympics.”

The draft text of the ballot question was delivered to the attorney general’s office and will be subject to alterations. It will be officially submitted in August.

“We believe releasing this language is an important part of making sure the meaning of a vote on this issue is clear and well-understood,” said Falchuk. “We call on the representatives of Boston 2024 to join us in supporting this language. A straightforward initiative requiring a privately-funded Olympics will protect Massachusetts taxpayers while avoiding the confusion of ballot questions where voters aren’t sure what a ‘yes’ vote means,” continued Falchuk. “Here, a ‘yes’ means the voter wants the 2024 Olympics to be paid for privately.”

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