By Jill Colvin and Julie Shapiro
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
LOWER MANHATTAN — Mayor Michael Bloomberg will not offer incentives to the developers of the Ground Zero mosque to encourage them to move someplace else.
Bloomberg told reporters Wednesday that he disagreed with Gov. David Paterson’s offer of state land outside of lower Manhattan to the builders of the 13-story mosque and community center, called Park51.
“If the governor wants to offer [it], he can speak for himself,” Bloomberg said, with Paterson standing beside him. “I’m just telling you that I’ve always believed the government should not be involved in deciding who you pray to, what you say and where you say it. “
At the same press conference, Paterson repeated his request to meet with Park51’s backers to discuss the possibility of moving the project.
A spokesman for Park51 said he was open to a dialogue with Paterson.
However, the developers have already purchased and leased land for the center on Park Place, two blocks north of the World Trade Center site.
“I think that they would like to stay where they are, and I certainly respect that, and I certainly respect them,” Paterson said. “What I wanted to do was to have a conversation about how other people were feeling, not if it’s right or wrong.”
Paterson said he was not trying to overstep the boundaries of government.
“We’re not talking about mixing church and state,” Paterson said. “We’re not talking about putting a church on state property.”
He added, “I hope that the type of cultural understanding that we’re trying to promote when we build the center could be practiced right now.”
