Google's $17 Billion Data Center Deal Could Bring Massive Tax Relief to Georgia County

Columbia County in Georgia has finalized a deal with Google for a $17 billion data center investment, which could provide property tax relief to homeowners. The county will receive $40 million per year from Google for seven years, while the Development Authority will get around $5 million annually.

County Manager Scott Johnson said this deal allows them to fund the homestead tax relief grant and provide property tax relief starting in the first year. He mentioned that voters will decide in November whether the money can be used to reduce property taxes, currently capped at $18,000 per home.

The county is lobbying for a constitutional amendment to remove this cap and allow for full relief. Johnson said the data center zoning makes up less than 3% of the county's total landmass, but will generate substantial property tax revenue when fully built, estimated to be several billion dollars over 25 years.