CITY HALL SAM: Port Investments Make for a Merry Christmas

GOV. TOM WOLF and LT. GOV. MIKE STACK played the role of Santa Claus and announced an early Christmas present to the folks of Southeastern Pennsylvania. And what did they leave under the tree for the good people of SEPA? A $300-million capital investment in the Port of Philadelphia.

This investment will improve several port facilities, including container import facilities, break-bulk warehouses in Tioga Marine Terminal, and the automobile import facilities in South Philadelphia. These import many Hyundai and Kia products.

This capital investment will create over 6,500 new jobs that make everyone will increase jobs by 65% to 17,020. The capital investment will also increase state and local tax receipts by 56% to $108.4 million per year. Those numbers will make everyone jolly!

Wolf and Stack were joined by a number of VIPs, including US SEN. BOB CASEY, CONGRESSMEN BOB BRADY and DWIGHT EVANS, STATE REP. BILL KELLER and MAYOR JIM KENNEY. Their hard work created thousands of middle-class jobs – jobs that will fuel additional spending and economic growth. This will ensure that everyone has happy holidays, and a happy new year!

Fast away the old year passes…. We have seen closure to the distinguished legislative career of STATE SEN. SHIRLEY KITCHEN, who for two decades has brought her steadfastness, her compassion, her integrity and her intelligence to that body. A dogged champion of citizens in trouble, she was also known for her skill in bipartisan negotiation and her ability to listen to her colleagues.

There is little doubt Kitchen, who is still vigorous, will continue to play a role in the political affairs of her North Philadelphia home.