1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

As your constituent, I urge you to reject HB1213, SB730 and related bills that grant broad tax breaks and limit local control over data‑center siting. These measures erode democratic accountability by removing local governments’ ability to weigh the tradeoffs of large, land‑use‑intensive projects and to negotiate community benefits such as local hiring, workforce training, and infrastructure contributions. Preemption deprives residents of meaningful input and strips counties and municipalities of leverage that protects schools, emergency services, and other essential local investments. Targeted tax giveaways shift costs from well‑capitalized firms onto residential taxpayers, small businesses, and utility customers. Data centers are capital‑ and energy‑intensive but produce relatively few permanent local jobs per dollar of subsidy; that makes them a poor long‑term return on public investment compared with options like manufacturing, small business support, or housing. Preferential treatment creates an uneven playing field that forces jurisdictions into fiscal competition and bidding wars, further eroding local tax bases and pressuring other taxpayers to make up the shortfall. These bills also risk significant infrastructure and environmental burdens. Concentrated electricity demand from data centers requires grid upgrades and transmission investments that can raise utility rates if costs are not fully borne by developers. Heavy construction and ongoing service needs strain local roads and water systems. Limiting local permitting authority reduces the ability to enforce environmental reviews, stormwater protections, and sensible land‑use standards, exposing communities to avoidable risks like habitat loss, flooding, noise, and light pollution. Finally, broad exemptions create long‑term uncertainty for municipal budgeting and planning. Properties exempted from typical property taxes undermine predictable revenue streams that fund schools and public safety, while the economic benefits of these facilities are often captured by firms that might have located here without subsidies. Please oppose legislation that shifts costs to residents and utility customers, undermines local control, and creates an unequal, unsustainable framework for economic development. Instead, support alternatives that require negotiated community benefit agreements, transparent PILOTs tied to measurable outcomes, and infrastructure contributions that ensure the public does not subsidize private profit. Thank you for representing our community’s interests.