Democratic U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, who represents Somerville and parts of Cambridge and Boston, said Tuesday that he is “independently skeptical” that the organizers of 2024 Summer Olympics can bring the games to Greater Boston without public subsidies that go beyond transportation infrastructure and public safety and security.
Like many public officials — such as Gov. Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, and state Senate President Stan Rosenberg — Capuano wishes the Boston 2024 organizers good luck.
But in his interview with Boston Public Radio hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan, Capuano made it clear that he has more questions than conclusions about the Olympic enterprise.
Capuano’s larger point of view was that he doesn’t think Boston needs the Olympics, but, that said, he’s not opposed.
Moving from diplomatic equivocation to specific criticism, Capuano said it was “misleading” and “disingenuous” for Boston 2024 to represent $5 billion in authorized transportation spending as funds committed to MBTA construction.
“Wanting something and having the cash on hand to pay for it are two different things,” he said.
Capuano explained that he wants a built-in pool in his backyard. He has “authorized” planning for it — if only in his mind’s eye. His problem, the congressman explained, is that he can’t pay for it.
This populist parable pretty much represented Capuano’s take on the Olympic efforts.
As for the Boston 2024 payroll laced with politically savvy consultants and executives, Capuano repeated the political acceptable observation that all of the money is “private,” that the issue isn’t about people being paid, or even paid as much as they can get.
But, Capuano added, “Whoever made the decision to make all of those payments, raises questions as to whether they would be good stewards of any public money should it come their way … Do they really need hundreds of thousands a month … to convince my constituents it’s good? … If it’s good, it’s good.”
“Everyone I know,” Capuano concluded, “is on the payroll.”
