Sherburne County Board of Commissioners District 3 Primary Voters Guide: Matt Bischoff
Matt Bischoff, a candidate for the Sherburne County Board, stated his opposition to attracting new data centers as part of the county's economic development strategy. He cited negative impacts such as high electricity and water usage, strain on the power grid, and minimal job creation, arguing that the benefits do not outweigh the negatives. Bischoff also highlighted other priorities including addressing the county budget and creating affordable housing through zoning adjustments.
Matt Bischoff, a candidate for District 3 of the Sherburne County Board of Commissioners, outlined his priorities and stance on key county issues, including economic development and data centers. Bischoff, a small business owner and lifelong resident, expressed strong opposition to continuing to attract new data centers to Sherburne County. He argued that the perceived benefits of data centers, such as tax revenue and job creation, are often negated by the demand for tax breaks and the minimal number of personnel required for operation.
Bischoff specifically highlighted the negative environmental and infrastructure impacts, noting that data centers are "huge structures that use a vast amount of electricity and water to run and cool their systems," which can "have an outsized impact on the power grid and electricity bills." He concluded that "Until the benefits outweigh the negatives, I would not support attracting new data centers as part of our county economic development policy."
Among his other top priorities, Bischoff aims to address the county's budget to avoid a proposed 10% levy increase and to create affordable housing opportunities by reviewing and amending zoning requirements. He emphasizes bringing a business perspective to the County Board to ensure efficient and on-budget services for residents.