3 races decide control of St. Joseph County Council; candidates answer
Candidates competing for three St. Joseph County Council seats outlined their positions on data center development, with most opposing additional facilities. They cited concerns about community impacts, water resources, infrastructure costs, tax abatements and limited public input, while discussing existing projects in Granger and New Carlisle and Amazon's proposed tax incentives.
Candidates in three contested St. Joseph County Council races described data center development as a major local issue ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Several candidates called for stopping or limiting additional facilities, citing uncertainty about their effects on communities, water resources, infrastructure and residential areas.
Amy Drake said she voted against a data center in Granger and a second facility in New Carlisle, and opposed a $4 billion tax abatement for Amazon. Other candidates, including incumbents Joe Thomas and Amy Drake and challengers, criticized future development, tax incentives and a lack of transparency. Some called for an outright ban or a halt to new projects until county planning and zoning rules are rewritten, while also arguing that developers should pay for infrastructure demands.