I have two data points concerning data centers and real estate taxes.
The first came from State Rep. Jeff Keicher, who ended up representing the part of Crystal Lake in which Carolybn Schofield lives because State Rep. Sue Ness was afraid to run against her.
Aa a Huntley fundraiser after I told him my concern about the use of well water–our only source in McHenry County–he told me that a data center in DeKalb had lowered property taxes.
Now comes stories out of Cook County of the Assessor giving huge tax breaks to data centers, the result of which has been to raise property taxes on homeowners.
The Chicago Tribune wrote an editorial entitled, “Data centers should lower property taxes on homeowners, not raise them.”
The editorial was accompanied by this outstanding editorial cartoon:
With the virtually inevitable construction of a battery farm in Prairie Grove, I figure a proposal for a data center can’t be far behind.
Let’s assume it is in Prairie Grove, too.
The Village Board could put in a Tax Increment Financing )TIF) District, which would deny the Prairie Grove School District and Crystal Lake High School District huge (at least substantial) increases in tax revenue.
In addition, homeowners would see their taxes go up, as is the case with all TIF Districts.
When the gas-fired electric plant was proposed in Oakwood Hills, documents indicated it would need a lot of water.
I was impressed at the idea brought forward by the developers to run a pipeline to the Crystal Lake sewage treatment plant east of the railroad tracks north of Route 176.
I wish I were convinced the Prairie Grove Village Board would not create a TIF District to subsidize a data center, but their actions concerning the battery farm do not lead to optimism.
