These Mahoning Valley voters are at odds over limits on Ohio's data center development
Mahoning Valley voters disagree over how Ohio should regulate data center growth, including whether construction should be paused and whether developers should pay more for electricity and grid infrastructure. The discussion also focused on the cost of state sales-tax incentives and concerns from McDonald residents about a proposed data center on a former U.S. Steel property.
Residents from Trumbull and Mahoning counties expressed differing views on Ohio's rapidly expanding data center industry during an Ideastream Public Media election discussion hosted by Amy Eddings. Riley DeCavitch called for pausing construction until the state better understands the impacts, while Michael Scharfenberg argued that data centers could repurpose former industrial sites and create well-paying jobs. Paul Ringold said operators should contribute to maintaining the public power grid, and participants also raised concerns about their substantial electricity and water use.
The discussion examined Ohio's data center sales-tax exemptions, which cost the state nearly $1.6 billion in the prior year. Gov. Mike DeWine has paused the incentives for new applications while defending their role in attracting investment. Julie Stout said residents of McDonald lacked a meaningful voice over a potential data center at the former U.S. Steel property and feared declining property values, while the group criticized nondisclosure agreements that can keep communities unaware of projects until local votes are imminent.