Ferguson's City Council approves tax breaks for the data center project at the old Emerson campus. The late night vote was 4 to 3 months after the council turned down nearly the same deal.
Developer Jim Onder's company will pay about a quarter of its usual property taxes for years as it builds out the campus, including a bigger data center. The break could be worth up to a billion and a half dollars. Most of that is money that would have gone to local schools. The city has already laid off police and fire staff to balance its own budget.
Councilman Nick Kasoff sponsored this plan, "After this year it gets worse, if we even make it through this year. So, we have two choices: substantial economic development, which this bill brings, or large tax increases. Not just a half percentage sales tax, substantial increases in property taxes as well."
An effort to delay the vote failed. Most people who spoke were against the deal. Opponents worry about water use and noise near homes. Mayor Adrian Shropshire voted no, along with Councilman Jamil Franklin and Councilwoman Naquittia Noah.
Opponents have started a recall petition against the bill's co-sponsor, Councilwoman LaMika Covington.
