No tax hike for Port of Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Business Journal reports that Mayor Alvin Brown, after calling the Port of Jacksonville a regional economic driver, says he won’t spend any new city money to deepen its shipping channel.
In its story, the Journal quotes Brown as saying the city already funds port operations at a yearly rate of between $5 million and $7.5 million and the port could leverage that money to help bond the project.
“We do not support increasing the burden on hardworking taxpayers ... no taxes. Let me be clear on that,” Brown said.
The project to deepen the shipping channel in the St. Johns River to 47 feet will cost $733 million, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers analysis. The federal government would pay about $349 million, with the remaining $383 million paid by local sources.
The Jacksonville Port Authority wants to dredge from the current 40 feet to 47 feet to attract larger container cargo ships after the widening of the Panama Canal is completed in 2015.
SCE&G will close coal plants early
CHARLESTON, S.C. — South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. says it will close two coal-powered generating stations near Walterboro by the end of the year.
SCE&G will close the plants at the Canadys Station four years ahead of the previous schedule, The Post and Courier of Charleston reported. SCE&G originally had planned to convert the plants to use natural gas before retiring them in 2017.
The Cayce-based utility closed another coal-fired plant last year.
The plants are among the company’s oldest and smallest coal-fired plants, ranging from 45 to 57 years old. Retiring the older coal plants will help SCE&G meet environmental regulations, said company spokesman Steve Byrne.
The two plants employ nearly 70 workers. Byrne said the utility will help them find other positions with the company.
Georgia earns federal funds for workforce development
ATLANTA — Georgia is set to receive $717,000 in federal grants for workforce and training programs after the state exceeded its goals for helping unemployed residents find jobs.
The Governor’s Office of Workforce Development said Georgia was one of 15 states to receive the funds.
Gov. Nathan Deal said the grants show “Georgia is on the right path to building a strong workforce.”
The funds must be used in the next two years. The goals used to determine the grants include how many residents began employment after training and how many stayed employed.
