Data centers top of the ballot in Mason County, WV
Two high-impact data center projects, including the Mountaineer Campus and Project Tamarack, are under way in Mason County, West Virginia, and have become central issues in a local House of Delegates race. Candidates disagree over state control of project permitting and the potential benefits of property-tax revenue for local schools, while both support an excess levy on the ballot.
High-impact data center projects at Mountaineer Campus and Project Tamarack have become major issues in West Virginia House of Delegates District 17, which includes Mason County. Democratic challenger Cat Wieland, a local teacher, criticized House Bill 2014 for placing permitting authority with the state and said residents felt excluded from decisions about projects in their community.
Republican incumbent Jonathan Penson, whose church is near Mountaineer Campus, emphasized the potential economic benefits, including property-tax revenue for schools. A report from the West Virginia State Treasurer's Office indicated that Mason County schools could receive about $91 million from the projects, while both candidates urged voters to approve an excess levy to support the school system. The election is drawing attention from residents seeking greater input into the developments and their local impacts.