Data center moratorium vote fails

[StmarysCity79]

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Calvert’s Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) squashed the motion for a moratorium on data centers in the county — and the hopes of many county residents who supported it.

The BOCC discussed the process for creating a moratorium and its purpose at the April 7 meeting. Commissioner Mike Hart proposed the moratorium at the March 3 meeting, claiming that the process was moving too quickly and nobody yet knows the long-term impacts of data centers on the environment and the economy. The moratorium plan calls for an independent environmental study, among other measures.


Prior to the meeting, Calvert residents submitted a petition with more than 1,300 signatures in support of the moratorium, as well as letters and comments.

The BOCC voted against pursuing the moratorium process in a 2-3 vote. Commissioners Hart and Grasso voted yes on pursuing the moratorium; Commissioners Hance, Ireland and Cox voted no. After several hours of discussion, the BOCC later voted to continue looking for other solutions to protect the county’s interests.



Wasnt this land previously marked as a future park for the county paid for by dominion?

Amazon Introduces Potential Calvert County Data Center, Emphasizes Infrastructure, Workforce And Growth - The BayNet

Amazon Web Services discusses potential Calvert County data center near Calvert Cliffs, highlighting infrastructure, jobs and economic growth.

thebaynet.com

 

[3CATSAILOR]

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Calvert’s Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) squashed the motion for a moratorium on data centers in the county — and the hopes of many county residents who supported it.

The BOCC discussed the process for creating a moratorium and its purpose at the April 7 meeting. Commissioner Mike Hart proposed the moratorium at the March 3 meeting, claiming that the process was moving too quickly and nobody yet knows the long-term impacts of data centers on the environment and the economy. The moratorium plan calls for an independent environmental study, among other measures.


Prior to the meeting, Calvert residents submitted a petition with more than 1,300 signatures in support of the moratorium, as well as letters and comments.

The BOCC voted against pursuing the moratorium process in a 2-3 vote. Commissioners Hart and Grasso voted yes on pursuing the moratorium; Commissioners Hance, Ireland and Cox voted no. After several hours of discussion, the BOCC later voted to continue looking for other solutions to protect the county’s interests.



Wasnt this land previously marked as a future park for the county paid for by dominion?

Amazon Introduces Potential Calvert County Data Center, Emphasizes Infrastructure, Workforce And Growth - The BayNet

Amazon Web Services discusses potential Calvert County data center near Calvert Cliffs, highlighting infrastructure, jobs and economic growth.

thebaynet.com

View attachment 197051

Too much money being flashed around not to be approved. Essentially it equals too bribery. Just a legalized version of bribery. For example, how about 32M for a Park? They came up with a solution for the water. They plan to reuse treated sewage water. Sounds like a good idea. But, what will they do if it is not enough water? Funny how everyone is quiet and not mentioning how much electric bills will go up.

 

[phreddyp]

What part of the site is zoned industrial, and no rezoning is needed didn't you understand?

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

The thing is that even if the facility is approved and brings in millions of dollars of property tax revenue (and there will be a payment in lieu of assessment tax formula instead) it won't mean that any County tax bills for residents or businesses will go down. Instead they'll go up because of Maryland's Constant Yield formula for property taxes.

 

[LightRoasted]

For your consideration ...

The thing is that even if the facility is approved and brings in millions of dollars of property tax revenue (and there will be a payment in lieu of assessment tax formula instead) it won't mean that any County tax bills for residents or businesses will go down. Instead they'll go up because of Maryland's Constant Yield formula for property taxes.

Isn't it the county that has that option? Of using the Constant Yield formula for property taxes? So when State assessments rise and property taxes rise, commissioners can set a Constant Yield formula for property taxes so people only pay what they did the year prior? And where the county gets near the same revenue as the prior year? Isn't that what the Constant Yield Rate is supposed to be used for?

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

For your consideration ...





Isn't it the county that has that option? Of using the Constant Yield formula for property taxes? So when State assessments rise and property taxes rise, commissioners can set a Constant Yield formula for property taxes so people only pay what they did the year prior? And where the county gets near the same revenue as the prior year? Isn't that what the Constant Yield Rate is supposed to be used for?

Yes.
If assessments increase 10% this year next year's tax rate is reduced by 10%, the Constant Yield rate, that will bring in the same revenues next year as this year.
The problem is that costs increase year over year just from natural inflation, right now about 3%. Fuel, salaries, benefits, materials and supplies, whatever so this year's revenues won't cover next year's (well they might because every budget has a bit of slop built into it as reserves).
The Commissioners, as well as the Towns in Calvert as well as every other Town and County in Maryland as well as the State, coasted for years by keeping this year's tax rate instead of dropping it to the Constant Yield. That returned an automatic revenue increase.
Now comes the part that confuses people (I've always believed it was intentional):
Someone gets their tax bill and sees it's more for next year than it was for this year. They call their Commissioner of choice to complain because the Commissioners made a big deal about not raising the property tax. And they didn't, they kept the old rate (didn't drop to Constant Yield) and can truthfully say to the person that they didn't raise taxes, that the rate stayed the same. Which is, on its face, is true. The "explanation" is because the taxes are more because the property is worth more. That confuses most people and they walk away mumbling because the tax rate didn't go up.

 

[LightRoasted]

For your consideration ...

Yes.
If assessments increase 10% this year next year's tax rate is reduced by 10%, the Constant Yield rate, that will bring in the same revenues next year as this year.
The problem is that costs increase year over year just from natural inflation, right now about 3%. Fuel, salaries, benefits, materials and supplies, whatever so this year's revenues won't cover next year's (well they might because every budget has a bit of slop built into it as reserves).
The Commissioners, as well as the Towns in Calvert as well as every other Town and County in Maryland as well as the State, coasted for years by keeping this year's tax rate instead of dropping it to the Constant Yield. That returned an automatic revenue increase.
Now comes the part that confuses people (I've always believed it was intentional):
Someone gets their tax bill and sees it's more for next year than it was for this year. They call their Commissioner of choice to complain because the Commissioners made a big deal about not raising the property tax. And they didn't, they kept the old rate (didn't drop to Constant Yield) and can truthfully say to the person that they didn't raise taxes, that the rate stayed the same. Which is, on its face, is true. The "explanation" is because the taxes are more because the property is worth more. That confuses most people and they walk away mumbling because the tax rate didn't go up.

Or ..... The county could just stop spending so much money?

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

For your consideration ...






Or ..... The county could just stop spending so much money?

What do you cut?
Roads?
Schools (keeping in mind that there are State requirements called Maintenance of Effort that requires that per pupil spending stays the same, adjusted for inflation, year to year)? That's one reason why Calvert's school budget skyrocketed during the years we were having double digit growth. And those Old Guard Commissioners in office at that time, ones whose families have roads, towns and subdivisions named after them, either didn't recognize it or didn't believe it was happening.
Personal anecdote I've written about before:
I was at an event, don't remember what, talking with a now deceased County Commissioner (this almost forty years ago) and he was complaining about all the school construction that was ramping up to a new school every year. He couldn't figure out where the kids were coming from. I named several then new developments like Ferry Landing Woods. He then said no school age kids lived there because the houses were too expensive (something like $150K or so at that time). I then pointed out that the people who were buying them were 30-something lawyers, doctors, FedGov employees, contractors and that they were all breeders. He looked shocked because the realization hit him.

Law enforcement?
Public Health?

 

[DannyMotorcycle]

i have a feeling one day the ai bots will give the idiocracy the permanent fixing that their ancestors set them up with.

sure they're going to use sewage water... until they say they can't and they're already set up so they won't.

 

[3CATSAILOR]

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Calvert’s Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) squashed the motion for a moratorium on data centers in the county — and the hopes of many county residents who supported it.

The BOCC discussed the process for creating a moratorium and its purpose at the April 7 meeting. Commissioner Mike Hart proposed the moratorium at the March 3 meeting, claiming that the process was moving too quickly and nobody yet knows the long-term impacts of data centers on the environment and the economy. The moratorium plan calls for an independent environmental study, among other measures.


Prior to the meeting, Calvert residents submitted a petition with more than 1,300 signatures in support of the moratorium, as well as letters and comments.

The BOCC voted against pursuing the moratorium process in a 2-3 vote. Commissioners Hart and Grasso voted yes on pursuing the moratorium; Commissioners Hance, Ireland and Cox voted no. After several hours of discussion, the BOCC later voted to continue looking for other solutions to protect the county’s interests.



Wasnt this land previously marked as a future park for the county paid for by dominion?

Amazon Introduces Potential Calvert County Data Center, Emphasizes Infrastructure, Workforce And Growth - The BayNet

Amazon Web Services discusses potential Calvert County data center near Calvert Cliffs, highlighting infrastructure, jobs and economic growth.

thebaynet.com

View attachment 197051

Most people have not heard of something called Infrasound. It is known to be associated with Data Centers. But, yet hardly anyone is talking about it. I wonder why? Check it out. You will be surprised.

 

[StmarysCity79]

Most people have not heard of something called Infrasound. It is known to be associated with Data Centers. But, yet hardly anyone is talking about it. I wonder why? Check it out. You will be surprised.

Sounds like Havana Syndrome

I just don't understand how private land was donated to Calvert County and earmarked to be built as a public park can then be sold for private development.

Sounds very fishy

Someone is getting paid.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

Sounds like Havana Syndrome

I jsut don't uinderstand how private land was donated to Calvert County and earmarked to be built as a public park can then be sold for private development.

Sounds very fishy

Someone is getting paid.

Maybe, maybe not. Selling public land is not illegal nor is it unheard of. Governments declare property excess all the time. Usually, but not always, it's put out for sale to the highest bidder.

 

[OccamsRazor]

I jsut don't uinderstand...

Neither does anyone else....

Dumbazz

 

[StmarysCity79]

Maybe, maybe not. Selling public land is not illegal nor is it unheard of. Governments declare property excess all the time. Usually, but not always, it's put out for sale to the highest bidder.

Of course, but when the land was recently donated and earmarked and announced along with drawings of the proposed park and then suddenly it is becoming a for profit parcel it raises some questions.

 

[Czar]

Data centers are great. Build away! Fire up or build a new coal plant for each one that goes online.

 

[StmarysCity79]

Data centers are great. Build away! Fire up or build a new coal plant for each one that goes online.

That's not how anything works.

You want higher electric costs and higher property taxes?

 

[phreddyp]

That's not how anything works.

You want higher electric costs and higher property taxes?

Why would both go up?
Be specific please, and please don't go on some parroting ramble!

 

[Czar]

That's not how anything works.

You want higher electric costs and higher property taxes?

No that's why we need to run from so-called green energy.

 

[StmarysCity79]

Why would both go up?
Be specific please, and please don't go on some parroting ramble!

Data centers, particularly those driving artificial intelligence (AI), are significantly increasing electricity costs, with residential rates in high-concentration areas like Virginia rising by up to 267% over the past five years. Nationwide, utility bills are projected to rise an average of 8% by 2030, with some regions exceeding 25%, due to data centers fueling 40% of electricity demand

AI Data Centers: Big Tech's Impact on Electric Bills, Water, and More - Consumer Reports

Massive data centers are gobbling up resources across the United States. The boom has just begun—and you may be paying for it.

www.consumerreports.org

Many states and counties are exempting Data centers from paying property taxes to encourage them to build in their communities unfairly putting the burden solely on homeowners. They are also exempting them form paying sales tax on much of the equipment they buy.

One more example of large corporations getting away with not paying their fair share.

The actual economic impact of data centers on a place? That's a secret.

Some North Carolina officials are rethinking tax breaks for an opaque industry.

www.motherjones.com

 

[Kyle]

No that's why we need to run from so-called green energy.

That’s also why Trump is pushing to have them expedite their own power generation stations.