Ohio Residents to Voice Data Center Opposition at Statehouse Hearing
Ohioans will testify today at the Statehouse about data center expansion as tax breaks cost nearly 12 times more than expected.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Ohio residents will testify before state lawmakers today about the rapid expansion of data centers across the state as a legislative committee examines public opposition to these projects.
The Select Committee on Data Centers scheduled a public hearing at the Ohio Statehouse on Monday, providing a forum for citizens concerned about environmental impacts and energy consumption tied to the facilities.
“How dare they come to our community and take our farmland and our nurseries?” said Madison Township resident Katie O’Neill during a recent meeting in Perry Village. “How dare they?”
Tax Breaks Under Scrutiny
State lawmakers are pushing to eliminate tax incentives for data center projects after new figures revealed the cost far exceeded initial projections. The Ohio Department of Taxation reported the state provided almost $1.57 billion in sales-tax exemptions on data center equipment and construction materials last year.
That amount represents nearly 12 times what state officials initially expected, according to estimates produced by the tax department in late 2024 as part of Ohio’s budgeting process. Local sales-tax breaks for data center projects added another $446.3 million last year, according to tax department calculations.
“Whether it’s $20 million or $1.2 billion, my position is the same… I think we ought to override the governor’s veto,” said House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima).
Legislative Battle Over Exemptions
The General Assembly passed legislation in the last budget to eliminate the data center sales tax exemption, but Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed the measure. Lawmakers have spent months debating whether to override his decision.
“I think it makes a big difference when there are, of course, a number of other issues on the table between energy use and water use and NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) and, you know, returning the ground to what it was before the data center was built,” Huffman said.
Following recent media reports highlighting the escalating costs, DeWine halted the tax breaks for new projects. O’Neill represents hundreds of Ohioans across the state who have spoken out publicly against data centers in their communities.
“They are coming in here as thieves in the night, saying that they are contributing to us when really they are endangering us, and they are taking from us,” O’Neill said.
The committee hearing comes as data centers have become a growing concern for residents who question the facilities’ environmental impacts and massive energy requirements. Public opposition has surfaced at community meetings throughout Ohio as companies seek to develop new projects on agricultural land.
