Is a data center worth $90M a year for schools? Mason County will soon decide
A report from West Virginia Treasurer Larry Pack estimates that Mason County schools could receive an additional $90 million annually from property taxes tied to two data centers. Voters will decide whether to renew the levy on the Nov. 3 ballot, while some officials worry residents may not view the levy as necessary.
A report released by West Virginia Treasurer Larry Pack’s office projects that Mason County Schools could collect about $90 million a year through an excess levy if two data centers generate the anticipated property-tax revenue. The estimate is based on the Monarch Compute Campus, under construction north of Point Pleasant, and the proposed Project Tamarack data center.
The projected revenue would represent roughly a ninefold increase over the $10 million Mason County Schools received from the levy the previous year. County voters are scheduled to decide whether to renew the levy on the Nov. 3 ballot, though officials are concerned that residents may oppose it because they believe the levy is unnecessary.