Trenton data center legislation could face legal challenge after November election, expert says
Trenton City Council introduced proposed tax, levy and YMCA membership benefits that would take effect if voters reject Issue 17, a ballot measure that would prohibit large-scale data centers using more than 25 megawatts in the city. The measures are tied to a proposed Amazon data center project and could face legal scrutiny over whether they improperly influence the November election.
Trenton City Council gave first readings to legislation linking proposed tax relief, limits on future property levies and discounted YMCA memberships to the outcome of the November ballot. The benefits would apply if voters reject Issue 17, a proposed charter amendment banning data centers requiring more than 25 megawatts of electricity, allowing a proposed Amazon project to proceed.
The development is planned for about 600 acres in Madison and St. Clair townships, which Trenton has sought to annex; an expedited annexation petition was recently withdrawn. Residents criticized the legislation as an attempt to influence voters, while Mayor Ryan Perry said it was intended to explain the project's potential economic consequences. Greg Lawson of the Buckeye Institute said the unusual structure could prompt litigation after the election, although he did not conclude that the measures were illegal. The legislation remains under consideration and would require additional council action.