McGreevey wants Newark airport in proposed WTC land swap Published in the Asbury Park Press THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWARK -- Newark International Airport should be included in a proposal to swap ownership of the World Trade Center property for land at La Guardia and Kennedy airports, Gov. James E. McGreevey said. The governor is concerned that if Newark is not included in the deal, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will focus its capital investments on the two New York airports. The agency leases all three airports, of which Newark is the busiest. New York City officials proposed the land swap earlier this month so they could have more flexibility in rebuilding Ground Zero. The proposal calls for the city to take control of the 16-acre World Trade Center tract and the Port Authority to get the land beneath Kennedy and La Guardia. New York officials hope to use more space at Ground Zero for a Sept. 11 memorial, open space or residential development. McGreevey said that if the swap is approved, he wants to ensure the Newark airport does not get shortchanged in the future and that the state gets an appropriate say in the memorial to the Sept. 11 victims. "From New Jersey's perspective, you would not want the Port Authority owning La Guardia and Kennedy airports and merely renting Newark," McGreevey told The Star-Ledger of Newark for Wednesday's editions. "It is important that there exists balance, and that all three airports share the identical jurisdictional and legal relationship with the Port Authority," he added. McGreevey said he believes New York Gov. Pataki and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg are aware of New Jersey's concerns. Newark receives a minimum of $18 million a year from the Port Authority for leasing Newark International Airport, and negotiations are under way for an extension of that deal that would pay the city $65 million this year. Last year, Newark received $55 million. Sean Walsh, a Port Authority spokesman, said the agency would try to accommodate McGreevey. Officials in Newark, which owns the airport, did not take a position on McGreevey's proposal but said it was worth discussing. Roger EWROPS