(The Center Square) – Public opinion on large-scale data centers in Wisconsin has shifted as 70% of voters say that the costs of the data centers outweigh the benefits.
That’s a change from October, when just 55% believed that the costs outweigh the benefits.
The results are from the most recent Marquette Law School poll, which asked questions of 818 Wisconsin registered voters between Feb. 11-19.
The poll also showed that opposition has risen amongst independents and Democrats but has remained the same amongst Republicans.
Data centers and their benefits have been the subject of several pieces of legislation in the state.
The state has a sales tax exemption for certified data centers in the state that led to $70 million in forgone sales tax in its first two years.
The state has also worked to increase the eligibility of data center projects for tax increment financing about statewide limits, meaning that the new construction does not lead to additional property tax collections for a community.
Data centers in Mount Pleasant, Verona, Beaver Dam and Port Washington have been certified by the state to be eligible for the sales tax exemption.
A group of lawmakers also have introduced a bill to block non-disclosure agreements from being used for data center projects, including testimony from comedian Charlie Berens supporting the bill.
The Data Center Coalition opposed the bill, saying that the NDA bill would put Wisconsin at a “competitive disadvantage” related to attracting data center projects.
