Chesterfield postpones vote on using data center money to lower car tax rate
The Chesterfield Board of Supervisors deferred a vote on using tax revenue from data centers to lower the county's car tax rate. The postponement was due to residents' complaints about insufficient notice and a desire for more public engagement. The proposal, which could significantly reduce the car tax, will now be voted on at the Sept. 23 meeting, while the county has also stated it will not permit new data center development.
The Chesterfield Board of Supervisors unanimously postponed a vote on a proposal to use tax revenue generated by data centers to reduce the county's car tax rate. The decision, made late Wednesday night, moved the vote to its Sept. 23 meeting, largely in response to public feedback.
During the public comment period, residents, including Katherine McMahon of the coalition Data Center Defiance, criticized the county for providing inadequate time for the community to learn about and provide feedback on the ordinance. The proposal's details were posted in mid-August, but a press release and social media announcement were not issued until the day before the scheduled vote. Supervisors LeQuan Hylton and Board Chair Mark Miller both acknowledged the need for more public engagement before making a decision.
If approved, the ordinance would take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, and could lower the car tax rate from $3.25 to as low as $1.79 per $100 of assessed value, primarily fueled by the tax contributions from Google's three planned data center campuses. This move is presented as a way to provide direct financial benefits from the