Google tax deals pour millions into Wasco County; commissioners eye $15 million endowment for windfall

Wasco County, Oregon, is seeing millions of dollars flow into its coffers and other local taxing districts due to tax abatement agreements with Google's data centers. In response to this significant revenue, Wasco County commissioners are scheduled to hear a detailed presentation on the county's property tax-abatement programs and consider creating the Wasco County Endowment and Resiliency Fund.

The proposed endowment fund, discussed through Ordinance No. 26-003, aims to capitalize up to $15 million from existing County Project Fund balances and integrate future Strategic Investment Program (SIP) revenues and tax-abatement dollars. The strategy is designed to convert temporary windfalls into a self-sustaining financial cushion, with no appropriations or distributions permitted from the fund until July 1, 2041.

The county's relationship with Google spans over two decades, involving Long-Term Rural Enterprise Zone agreements and SIPs that provide tax exemptions while generating substantial fees and payments. For example, in 2025, Google's data centers generated $17.12 million in payments and taxes, with a new data center generating $9.81 million in fees, payments, and taxes under the SIP. Various local government and public service entities, including school districts, fire departments, libraries, and colleges, receive shares of these community service fees.

Officials, including Assessor and Tax Collector Jill Amery, emphasize that these abatement programs are one-time incentives, and the revenues present a unique opportunity that should not lead to permanent expansion of government operations. The endowment fund would allow for future earnings to support capital improvements, economic development, and public services, while protecting the principal against inflation. Accessing the principal would be restricted to