Hillsboro councilor calls for emergency session on data center tax breaks

Hillsboro City Councilor Sinclair is advocating for an emergency session to address growing concerns regarding data centers. This push follows nearly 20 new data center developers applying for tax breaks from the city within the last three months. Sinclair aims for the special session to redirect the authority to approve tax breaks from city staff to the city council itself. She argues that farmland is rapidly being converted to development, and data center expansion is outpacing the city's ability to understand its full impact. She criticized the enterprise zone program, stating it was intended for long-term, high-wage job creation, not as an incentive for tax abatements, and believes it doesn't apply to data centers. The councilor also highlighted that after a year-long moratorium on data center applications passed in March, a dozen companies submitted applications before it took effect in June. Mayor Ward Jolles, however, defended the economic development funds generated by these projects, crediting them for funding public amenities like community centers, fire stations, emergency vehicles, and playgrounds without raising taxes. Sinclair wants the council to pause pending applications to allow the community to understand the measurable impact before further policies and tax abatements are completed.