A proposed data center in Mercer County is sparking concern among some residents.
Diane Floyd said she had loved living in Mercer County since moving five years ago. But she said she felt blindsided after learning about a potential plan to build a data center in the county.
“It seemed so out of left field to me. And I think a lot of Mercer County citizens were also completely unaware about the Mercer County government being interested in a data center in our area,” Floyd told FOX 56.
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Floyd was part of “We Are Mercer County,” an organization dedicated to protecting the community’s farmland and history. She also started an online petition opposing the project, which garnered more than 1,600 signatures.
Those concerns were expected to be voiced at Wednesday’s special-called meeting of the Mercer County Joint Planning and Zoning Commission. A consultant is scheduled to present information about data centers before the floor opens for public comment.
“It lets me know that I’m not alone in this fight, and other people are incredibly concerned too,” Floyd said.
On Saturday, Feb. 14, Burgin Independent Schools released a statement supporting the project. The statement said in part:
If developed as projected, this facility could possibly generate an estimated 25 to 30
million dollars annually in new tax revenue for our district. For perspective, our
current operating budget is approximately 4 million dollars. This opportunity
represents a transformative shift that could strengthen our schools, reduce financial
pressure on taxpayers, and create lasting community benefits.
But Floyd argued the project would undermine public trust.
“The issue is that these data center companies don’t end up paying their fair share through backdoor deals, through loopholes, through extended tax breaks, and the cost of a data center ends up getting passed on to our citizens,” she said.