Data center growth lowers ESD school bond estimate, offers funding benefits on both sides of river
Data center construction is expanding the tax base in the East Wenatchee and Wenatchee areas, lowering projected property tax rates for proposed school bonds. Microsoft’s planned facilities in Malaga and other regional data centers are expected to contribute substantially to school construction funding, spreading costs across more commercial properties.
Eastmont School District reduced its projected annual tax rate for a proposed $125 million bond from 79 cents to 71 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, largely because new data center construction is increasing the district’s taxable property base. The bond would fund improvements at Kenroy, Lee and Cascade elementary schools and other safety and infrastructure projects, subject to voter approval.
Wenatchee School District is separately seeking approval for a $275 million bond to replace much of Wenatchee High School and upgrade HVAC systems. Its bond estimates identify six planned Microsoft buildings in Malaga as a source of future taxable value, while the districts point to Quincy as an example of data centers helping distribute school construction costs among commercial and residential property owners.