The fictional movie "Field of Dreams" revolves around a cast of ghosts playing baseball on a makeshift ball field. The phrase, "If you build it, they will come," sums up actor Kevin Costner's mission to build this baseball diamond within the cornfield where the ghosts live. Fiction similarly comes to mind pondering just what our governor, Jon Corzine, is shoveling with his new catchphrase, "shovel-ready projects." If we need to build it because someone is coming, can he please at least tell us just who is coming and when?

If, for example, according to Reuters ("New York State Lost 25 Percent of New Jobs Since Last Decline," March 5, 2009), 110,300 people working for private companies lost their jobs in just three months in New York state, then why do we need to build a new $9-billion train tunnel under the Hudson River? Also, real-estate expert Noah Rosenblatt predicts, based on the latest New York City Independent Budget Report, that Manhattan will lose 243,000 jobs through 2010.

New York City's unemployment rate in January was 6.9 percent, up sharply from 4.8 percent a year ago. The Wall Street giants have announced tens of thousands of layoffs. So again, why do Jerseyans need more ways to get across that river? No feasible reasons exist, never mind the negatives, the staggering price for its construction. Job disappearance from Manhattan seems unprecedented so maybe our governor wants to make it more convenient for displaced New Yorkers to come to New Jersey for our few jobs.

Some might say we should build this in order to stimulate our economy. Sounds good, but when federal stimulus money is expended, New Jersey construction companies are certainly not exclusively guaranteed they'll be awarded this project. Typically, the lowest responsible bidders with proper New Jersey licensing from practically anywhere may prevail. Perhaps the aforementioned New Yorkers will ultimately construct it. How ironic that would be. If NJ Transit's argument is that 220,000 fewer cars will leave the driveway daily, then what will become of those jobs? Will your job be there as an auto mechanic, auto-insurance provider, auto salesperson, gasstation attendant, tire salesperson, parts-store clerk, toll taker, turnpike trooper, turnpike maintenance person? We could lose many more jobs than gained.

Further, due to a sour economy, people clearly lack disposable income; therefore, Atlantic City is gurgling out some of its final death gasps. However, the powers that be feel the need to build a $40-million train station in Pennsauken linking the Trenton River line with the Atlantic City line. More pure genius. Corzine, the financial wizard, should have followed Donald Trump's lead and bailed on anything resembling an Atlantic City venture, at least for the time being.

We don't need enhanced transportation to cities if there is no increased reason to travel there.
Andrew Tidd
Helmetta