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A coalition of Michigan-based data centers is calling for a change to legislation in Lansing designed to attract a giant data center to west Michigan.
The Senate last week passed bills offering data centers a break on state sales, use and property tax. The House is considering similar legislation.
But the Michigan Data Center Alliance is calling foul. Yan Ness, CEO of Online Tech in Ann Arbor, says the legislation exempts new data centers from property tax on new investments.
He says if you don’t give that to everyone in the industry it unlevels the playing field and slows down investment.
The group is offering a Michigan Fairness Amendment, which they say would keep that playing field level for data center businesses in the state.
The House and Senate legislation was prompted by the Las Vegas-based company, Switch, showing interest in locating a data center at the former Steelcase site in Grand Rapids.
