Kim Mulford misrepresented Bayonne and overlooked many of the important arguments for locating the battleship New Jersey in my city.

She states inaccurately that Bayonne 'has several plans for the site if the battleship doesn't arrive.' Actually, Bayonne adopted a comprehensive plan for redeveloping the Military Ocean Terminal as an attractive mixed-use facility whether the New Jersey docks there or not.

Plans include waterfront promenades and recreational areas, an international trade and convention center with hotels, post-production facilities for motion pictures and television, light-rail stations and ferry connections with New York. Bayonne's low crime rate and location in the heart of the highly populated New York-New Jersey metropolitan area are added reasons for awarding us the battleship.

The USS New Jersey would be a major attraction for this side of New York Harbor, but it would not be the only one. The battleship would join other attractions along the new light-rail line, such as Liberty State Park and Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, and two golf courses being developed in Bayonne.

As even Ms. Mulford concedes, the people of Bayonne are enthusiastic about the battleship. This is an important consideration. Our veterans' groups hope to make the battleship the focal point for a military museum. Bayonne's military terminal played a major role in supplying the armed services in every military action from World War II through Desert Storm.

I invite Ms. Mulford back here to visit the battleship early and often.

MAYOR JOSEPH V. DORIA JR.
City of Bayonne

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