Marcus Hook, Pa. Prepares To Deal With Sale Or Loss Of Refinery
MARCUS HOOK, Pa. (CBS) -- Sunoco's announcement that it is getting out of the refinery business has residents of Marcus Hook more than a little worried.
They call themselves "The Cornerstone of Pennsylvania." But how is this Delaware County borough, home to a huge Sunoco operation, dealing with the impending change?
Well, this town of 2,400 people has been through a lot over the years, and mayor James Schiliro says they'll deal with this.
"I'm optimistic that there'll be a buyer," Schiliro (right) tells KYW Newsradio. "I have meetings set up for next week with the heads of the refinery over there and, hopefully, we can get some answers by then (on) exactly what the future holds."
The plant could close down next summer if there's no buyer (see related story), which could be bad news for Connolly's Pub, where Bill Maitland (at right in photo below) tends bar.
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"It's gonna knock everybody's taxes up," Maitland says. "It's gonna put people out of work."
But patron Jerry Reeder (at left in photo) is cautiously optimistic.
"I'm sure someone's gonna purchase this company," he says. "I think it might be BP, or maybe even Conoco might want a hand in that."
More than 400 could lost their jobs should a shutdown of the refinery occur. And Sunoco's taxes -- employee and corporate -- represent a third of the borough's budget.
Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio 1060
