(photo: siferry.com)

There are three new vessels being commissioned for the Staten Island Ferry fleet, and Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm would very much like one of the boats to be named after former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Thus, on the eve of the September 11th attacks, he wrote a letter to the New York City Department of Transportation urging this outcome.

"Mayor Giuliani's tenure in office raised the quality-of-life in Staten Island and the City at-large," Mr. Grimm wrote in the letter, which you can view below. "Few have gone as far as him to make sure that the 'Forgotten Borough' was remembered in City Hall. Rudy formed a special relationship with the people of Staten Island based on shared values and a dogged commitment to making New York livable again."

This message was echoed in a press release where the Republican congressman argued, "From squeegee men to strip clubs, Mayor Giuliani got rid of the bad and brought in the good.”

As Mr. Grimm has pointed out, it's not exactly unusual for ferries to be named after politicians. Indeed, the Guy V. Molinari, pictured above, is named after the former congressman and borough president.

View his letter below: