Coshocton County resident questions data center benefits

As we watch the redevelopment of the former Conesville power plant site into a large-scale data center campus, there is no question this project carries significant potential. Investment, redevelopment and forward-looking industry are all things any community should welcome. But with that opportunity comes a responsibility to ask clear and practical questions. But were they asked before the decision was made to place this burden upon residents of Coshocton County?

First, what is a data center? It’s where the digital world is stored, processed and kept running around the clock: Netflix, your texts, cloud storage and more. In simple terms it’s where the information you use on your phone and computer is stored and delivered from.

Public reports indicate tens of millions in state-supported infrastructure funding are already being committed to prepare the site. At the same time, Ohio offers some of the most aggressive tax incentives in the country for data centers including broad sales tax exemptions and, often, substantial property tax abatements.

That raises important issues for us, as taxpayers: What is the long-term return to our community once these incentives are accounted for?

Contrary to the “positive spin” that has been made, data centers are not traditional job creators. After construction is complete, they typically employ a relatively small number of highly specialized workers. That means the primary public benefit must come through long-term, stable revenue, not short-term or headline investment figures.

For communities outside the immediate project area including villages like Warsaw, West Lafayette, et cetera, the question becomes even more important. We may not receive direct tax benefit, yet we remain part of the same regional system, sharing in the infrastructure demands, utility capacity and broader public resource decisions, all cost-increasing concerns for residents.

This is not an argument against development, far from it. It is a call for clarity, accountability and fairness. Coshocton County residents should understand:

—The public investment being made upfront.

—What tax abatements or exemptions and for how long.

—What guaranteed annual return will come back to our area.

—If residents are protected from indirect costs such as rate increases.

These are not abstract concerns. These questions identify how public resources are used and who ultimately bears the cost. And as our daily expenses continue to rise, especially now, it is important to start electing those who are good managers that display sensible insight, in an effort to assure our area can sustain itself without being encumbered by what is likely to be increased costs for utilities and infrastructure upkeep.

Voters need to understand where candidates for county commissioner or any public office stand on the issues that not only shape individual projects, but also the long-term financial direction of the entire county.

We don’t need leaders; we need responsible representation. That means choosing people who manage resources wisely while protecting the interests of residents. If we don’t make better choices, we risk creating a system where dependence replaces independence.

Economic development should benefit the public in measurable, lasting ways so it will stand on its own merits. If it does not, then it is our responsibility, as residents and voters, to ask why. Don’t sell us on the ribbon cutting — show us the math.

Kenneth Koch

West Lafayette