Data centers to ease tax burden

To the Editor,

The recent news regarding Google’s $500 million investment in Lima (“Google officially behind data center project,” March 16) is a landmark moment for northwest Ohio. As we watch our neighbors secure this project, Van Wert is doing more than just “exploring” the field — we are actively preparing to lead it.

Large-scale developments naturally spark skepticism. In Van Wert, we view concerns regarding water and the electric grid not as obstacles, but as a roadmap for smarter planning. These projects are catalysts that fund the very infrastructure – roads, water, and sewer – that benefits every resident.

We have a unique advantage: the technology making data centers sustainable is being built right here. Danfoss, a Van Wert staple, holds the patents for the closed-loop cooling equipment that ensures water sustainability. Their recent addition of 50 jobs to meet this demand proves that local manufacturing can, and will, build the backbone of the 21st-century economy.

With 250 high-salary positions and $200 million in tax revenue projected over 15 years, our proposed data center isn’t just a tech project—it’s a long-term strategy to fund our schools and ease the tax burden on our citizens.

Brent Stevens

Executive Director, Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation