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Governor Jack Markell’s Update

Written on: June 8th, 2010 in Effective & Efficient Government

A Done Deal: Delaware City Refinery

Last week, we brought both energy and opportunity back to the shuttered facility formerly owned by Valero, turning it over to its new owners, the Delaware City Refining Company (a subsidiary of PBF Energy Partners).

PBF announced plans to invest $130 million and employ hundreds of workers to refurbish and restart the refinery. PBF anticipates that full production may begin as early as April 2011, employing roughly 700 full-time workers and permanent contractors.

We faced a challenge that seemed like a long shot, and people came together to respond quickly. Labor and management, business and government, across industries, across agencies, across our state – when it comes to jobs, Delaware makes teamwork a priority. More here.

Have You Found Your BFF Yet?

The innovative and bipartisan Business Finders’ Fee (BFF) Tax Credits bill has passed both houses and is on its way to my desk to be signed into law.

We’re enlisting all of our businesses – small, medium, and large – as a sales force to tell the Delaware story to their suppliers, customers and other business contacts. The BFF Tax Credits provide incentives for companies to help recruit other employers to come to Delaware: the recruiting and the recruited companies will each be eligible for a $500 tax credit per employee their effort brings to our state.

For more information, please contact Gary Smith with the Delaware Economic Development Office.

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles and Local Farmers

May was a great month for healthy living in Delaware: We created the Council on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and TV’s Dr. Oz (a Delaware high-school graduate) introduced his innovative Healthcorps movement.

We also celebrated Strawberry Week, highlighting our local growers and the Farm-to-School Program, which provides healthy, fresh food for school children, educates youth about foods grown in their communities and expands market opportunities for local farms. More here.

How Should We Invest for Our Future?

I met with employers from across the state to discuss my proposals for allocating the recently projected increase in state revenue. We need to use what is largely one-time revenue to make investments that will create lasting private-sector job growth. To learn more about my proposals and hear a complete audio recording of the meeting, please click here.

Tags: BFF, business development, Delaware, Governor Jack Markell, local food

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles and Local Farmers

Written on: June 8th, 2010 in Agriculture

May was a great month for healthy living in Delaware:

I signed Executive Order Nineteen, creating the Council on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, which will conduct an assessment, develop an overarching statewide strategy on promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing related diseases, and establish measurable outcomes. 

We also had Strawberry Week to highlight the contributions of our farmers; promote healthy, local eating; and celebrate the fact that all 19 Delaware school districts are participating in our Farm-to-School Program.  The program provides healthy, fresh food for school children, educates youth about foods grown in their communities and expands market opportunities for local farms.  

Dr. Oz came to visit and brought Healthcorps with him. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the host of “The Dr. Oz Show” and Vice-Chair and Professor of Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center, graduated from high school in Delaware.  With the help of Nemours, he launched his innovative health movement to Delaware.

We’ve kicked June off to a great start as well: I was thrilled to see around 1500 girls participating in Saturday’s Girls on the Run race.  Summer is upon us, and I hope everyone stays healthy by enjoying the Delaware State Parks Trail Challenge and our many fresh Farmers’ Markets!

Tags: agriculture, Delaware, economic development, farms, fresh vegetables, Governor Jack Markell, health, healthy eating, local, local food, nutrition, strawberries