1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing as a concerned Ohioan to urge you to reform the state’s approach to data center incentives. While I support economic growth, I am deeply concerned that our current tax policies favor multibillion-dollar corporations at the expense of working-class families who are struggling with rising costs of living and increasing utility bills. This is especially critical given the current energy crisis and the global instability created by the war in Iran, which is already placing an undue burden on Ohio’s ratepayers. Specifically, I am asking you to support the following legislative actions: - Support SB 374: I urge you to end the state sales tax exemption for new data centers. It is fundamentally unfair for a company like Amazon or Meta to pay $0 in sales tax on billions of dollars in equipment while Ohio families pay full price for their basic necessities. - Support HB 646: I support the creation of the Data Center Study Commission. We must have a transparent, public accounting of how these facilities impact our electrical grid, our water supply, and our local property taxes before any more behind-the-meter deals are signed. - Protect Ratepayers (HB 706): I ask you to support legislation that prevents data centers from shifting the cost of massive grid upgrades onto residential utility customers. Corporations requiring extreme energy loads for AI should pay their fair share for the infrastructure they require. - Mandate Community Benefits: Moving forward, any local or state incentives should be tied to legally binding Community Benefits Agreements that directly fund our schools and provide relief for local residents’ energy costs. Ohio should be a "Silicon Heartland" because of our talent and infrastructure—not because we are the easiest state to exploit for tax breaks. Please prioritize the people who live and work here over the bottom lines of out-of-state tech giants.