Madison County, Amazon spar over data center tax values
Madison County and Amazon are in a multi-million dollar dispute over the tax assessments of Amazon's five data centers at the Canton Mega site. The county's assessor values the buildings significantly higher than Amazon's appraisal, creating a large tax revenue gap that impacts local schools and government. The county is seeking Amazon's actual construction costs, which the company withholds due to internal policy.
Madison County and Amazon are currently engaged in a lengthy debate regarding the tax assessments of Amazon's five data center buildings located at the Canton Mega site. The two entities are millions of dollars apart on what these specialized data centers are worth, creating a significant gap in potential tax revenue for the county.
According to the county's tax assessor, each building is valued at nearly $292 million, reflecting the true value of the completed real property improvements. However, Amazon's own appraisal places the value at just under $70 million per building, citing an industry-standard valuation service. This difference results in a total tax gap of over $1 billion for all five buildings.
The discrepancy matters because this tax money is crucial for paying down a $215 million state loan and funding local schools and county government. Supervisors learned during a meeting that Amazon has not shared its actual construction costs with the tax assessor's office, despite requests and state law authority for the county to obtain such information. Amazon's representative stated that the company withholds project costs as a matter of internal policy. County officials, including a representative named Kennedy, plan to continue pushing for Amazon's records to accurately determine the replacement costs and appropriate tax values.