DEAR EDITOR:

Regarding your Jan. 15 editorial (“Does the data support tax Breaks for data centers?”), you are absolutely correct that this issue raises numerous unanswered questions.

Beyond the debate over tax breaks, this matter is currently under review by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Supporting the electricity needs of these new data centers could lead to increased electric bills for every Ohio resident and business. But by how much? We don’t know.

This issue demands thorough scrutiny and transparency before we proceed. Here are some critical questions that need addressing:

1. Why Ohio? What makes our state particularly attractive to data centers? Do we offer a unique advantage? What is it?

2. What if we say no? What are the real upsides and downsides of turning away these data centers?

3. How do we compare to other states? What incentives or strategies are other states using and how do we measure up?

4. What’s the cost to individual Ohioans? Beyond the large, abstract numbers, what will this mean for an average household or a small business’ monthly electric bill?

5. What are the job impacts? How many jobs will these data centers create and what kinds of jobs are they? Are these positions likely to go to current Ohio residents or will they attract workers from out of state? How do job projections in other states compare to actual outcomes?

6. What’s the broader economic impact? Do data centers serve as catalysts for attracting other businesses and jobs or are they largely self-contained operations?

7. What’s the environmental impact? If we generate significantly more electricity to meet the demands of these centers, what will the emissions consequences be? How will this affect Ohio’s existing environmental profile?

These are basic yet essential questions that deserve clear, factual answers before we make decisions that could shape Ohio’s economy, environment and energy landscape for decades.

TIM FITZPATRICK

Lake Milton