HOBOKEN REPORTER, MARCH 8, 1997

Dear Editor,

Enclosed with my tax bill was a glossy mailer from Mayor Anthony Russo which troubled and offended me. The letter criticized the public's reaction to the recently disclosed plans which include tow separate developments on Hoboken's waterfront, a 20,000 seat ice hockey arena and a baseball museum. They Mayor characterized public criticism to these projects as "premature, as well as immature." To characterize the residents' interest and concern in this manner demonstrates a disturbing lack of accountability by an elected official.

For years Hoboken residents have demonstrated an intense interest in participating in the process of the Town's development, particularly on the waterfront. A baseball museum in Hoboken is by no means an objectionable idea but it's placement on a pier which has already been planned to be dedicated to public park space must be considered carefully (witness the numerous maps along River Road depicting the future jogging track and open space on the northern pier). If we residents are not even allowed to review the proposals and voice our comments and concerns about these two projects until the plans are "final," as implied in the Mayor's flier, we will undoubtedly be told that the developers plans have advanced too far and that any modifications to address residents' concerns will be too late and too expensive. Hoboken's residents, who have demonstrated a commitment to cautious and well planned waterfront development, deserve better from our Mayor than to be dismissed as "political attackers' seeking to "halt progress."

J. Doyle