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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BOCC (004)GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA MEETING REQUEST FORM (Must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board by 12:00pm on Thursday) REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: BOCC DATE: 2/26/2026 REQUEST SUBMITTED BY: CEMANELL PHONE: 2931 CONTACT PERSON ATTENDING ROUNDTABLE: CEMANELL CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: ❑YES ® NO ❑Agreement / Contract ❑AP Vouchers ❑Appointment / Reappointment ❑ARPA Related ❑ Bids / RFPs / Quotes Award ❑ Bid Opening Scheduled ❑ Boards / Committees ❑ Budget ❑ Computer Related ❑ County Code ❑ Emergency Purchase ❑ Employee Rel. ❑ Facilities Related ❑ Financial ❑ Funds ❑ Hearing ❑ Invoices / Purchase Orders ❑ Grants — Fed/State/County ❑ Leases ❑ MOA / MOU ❑ Minutes ❑ Ordinances ❑ Out of State Travel ❑ Petty Cash ❑ Policies ❑ Proclamations -DRequest for Purchase ❑ Resolution ❑ Recommendation ❑ Professional Serv/Consultant *Support Letter ❑ Surplus Req. ❑Tax Levies ❑Thank You's ❑Tax Title Property ❑WSLCB ei Ip Request from the Port of Quincy for use of the Grant County Logo on letter to Legislators regarding SB 6231 & HB 2515. If necessary, was this document reviewed by accounting? ❑ YES ❑ NO 0 N/A APPROVE: DENIED ABSTAIN D1:� D2: D3: 0 N/A 4/23/24 February 24, 2026 Senator June Robinson, Chair Senate Ways & Means Committee PO Box 40600 Olympia WA 98504 Dear Chairs Robinson and Orsmby, Representative Timm Orsmby, Chair House Appropriations Committee PO Box 40466 Olympia WA 98504 On behalf of the undersigned organizations representing employers, infrastructure providers, and industry stakeholders across Washington State, we write to express concern regarding Senate Bill 6231 and House Bill 2515. Washington has long been a global leader in technology, from cloud computing and e-commerce to clean energy innovation. That leadership has been supported by thoughtful policy choices that encourage long-term capital investment. Today, the policy signals emerging from Olympia will determine whether Washington continues to attract critical digital infrastructure or sees that investment flow elsewhere, shaping the future of the very infrastructure that underpins our digital economy: data centers. SB 6231 would eliminate Washington's data center sales and use tax exemption, while HB 2515 would impose new cost, compliance, reporting, and tariff requirements — adding friction, uncertainty, and expense to an already capital -intensive industry. Taken together, these proposals send a clear signal that Washington is becoming a more complicated and costly place to build critical digital infrastructure. Compounding that concern, provisions in HB 2515 requiring new or expanded data centers to be served exclusively by clean energy from newly constructed facilities would effectively stall projects currently in development and make future projects extremely difficult to finance and site. The existing tax incentive was designed to attract and retain exactly this type of large-scale investment, and eliminating it now would signal to the market that Washington is stepping back from competing for major infrastructure projects at the very moment other states are aggressively courting them. Many in the technology and economic development communities believe this could make our state less competitive relative to others actively working to attract data center investment. We urge your committees to carefully consider the long-term economic and revenue consequences of repealing this incentive. Washington has built a global reputation as a technology and energy leader. Data centers are core infrastructure supporting that leadership. They power hospitals, small businesses, schools, public agencies, financial systems, and cloud -based services that underpin virtually every sector of our economy. An independent analysis by PwC found that data centers support more than 47,000 jobs statewide, spanning construction, skilled trades, operations, and long-term maintenance roles in both urban and rural communities. In 2023 alone, data center activity generated approximately $1.8 billion in state and local tax revenue. Energy demand and grid capacity are legitimate policy considerations. However, data centers are among the largest purchasers of clean energy in the world and frequently drive new investment in wind, solar, storage, and emerging firm zero -carbon technologies. Load growth, when managed appropriately, can spread fixed grid costs across a broader base and support long-term system affordability.. Governor Ferguson's Data Center Workgroup appropriately recognized the importance of enabling access to firm, clean ,power and streamlining energy development. Policy alignment should build on that work rather than undermine Washington's competitive position. The global race for advanced computing and Al infrastructure is accelerating. Other states, and other nations, are making strategic investments to capture that growth. Washington should not disadvantage itself through abrupt policy reversals that create uncertainty for capital -intensive, long -horizon investments. We respectfully ask that SB 6231 and HB 2515 not advance in their current form and that any changes to the incentive structure be considered through a broader, data -driven review that accounts for economic impact, grid planning, and long-term fiscal effects. Thank you for your consideration and for your thoughtful approach to these issues. Randa Minkarah, CEO, Washington Technology Industry Association Josh Levi, CEO, Data Center Coalition Joe Fain, CEO, Bellevue Chamber Rose Feliciano, Executive Director, TechNet David Durfee, District Fire Chief, Grant County Fire District 3 (Quincy area) Brian Kuest, Commissioner, Port of Quincy Kevin Anderson, Commissioner, Port of Mattawa ,k,%\WTIA TECHNET THE VOICE Or AMERICAN INNOVATION PORT OF ulnc where business moves DATA CENTER St,E �'�Io�t _. ./01 ellevue '1_4 7 CHAMBER Po T °F MATTAWA gg,Outlook Fw: Immediate request for your logo for letter to Legislators regarding SB 6231 & HB 2515 From Cindy Carter <ccarter@grantcountywa.gov> Date Thu 2/26/2026 8:10 AM To Caitlin E. Manell <cemanell@grantcountywa.gov> J 1 attachment (445 KB) SB 6231 HB 2515 Letter.pdf; Get outlook for io From: Patrick Boss<publicaffairs@portofquincy.org> Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2026 3:19:49 PM To: Cindy Carter <ccarter@grantcountywa.gov> Cc: Brian Kuest <bkuest@portofquincy.org> Subject: RE: Immediate request for your logo for letter to Legislators regarding SB 6231 & HB 2515 **EXTERNAL EMAIL* This email originated from outside Grant County's network. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. We look forward to your response to the below and attached. Patrick Boss Public Affairs &Business Development Port of Quincy Mobile Phone: 360-878-7073 Email: publicaffairs@portofquincy.org Linkedln: hops://www.linkedin.com/companv1portofquincyl Facebook: hops://www.facebook.com/PortofQuincy/ Website: www.portofquincy.org From: Patrick Boss Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2026 1:08 PM To: Cindy Carter <ccarter@grantcountywa.gov> Cc: Brian Kuest <bkuest@portofquincy.org> Subject: Immediate request for your logo for letter to Legislators regarding SB 6231 & HB 2515 Commissioner Carter, The Port of Quincy is assisting with gathering support for the attached sign -on letter relating to SIB 6231 and HB 2515, both of which would have significant negative impacts on data centers in Washington State. We are requesting that organizations and entities in Quincy, Grant County, and North Central Washington add their logo in support. The attached letter outlines major concerns about how these bills would affect rural communities like ours. As a result, we would ask that you reply with a high -resolution version of your organization's logo to be included on the letter. Why Your Organization Should Sign On For nearly twenty years, data centers have been a major driver of economic and tax -base growth in Quincy, Grant County, and North Central Washington. They have expanded our tax base, lowered local levy rates, funded essential public services, and created thousands of high -wage construction and operations jobs. SIB 6231 and HB 2515 threaten this progress and risk destabilizing the fiscal foundation of our rural communities. A few key facts illustrate what is at stake: • Thousands of high -wage construction jobs: Each data center requires roughly 500 construction workers and nearly 400,000 man-hours. Since 2006, construction wages in central Washington have approached $2 billion. These jobs recur with every expansion cycle jobs that these bills would slow or halt. • One of Washington's most successful rural development outcomes: Quincy's assessed value has grown from $937 million to $9.4 billion, while levy rates have dropped by more than 50%. This growth has funded a new high school, hospital, fire stations, aquatics center, and recreation facilities proof that data centers strengthen communities rather than burden them. • Critical privilege tax revenues: Grant County's privilege tax distributions have grown from $1.68 million in 2005 to $3.89 million in 2024, a 131 % increase. Quincy's share grew from $39,084 to $768,513. More than 78% of the County's Current Expense Fund supports Law & Justice; without this revenue growth, core public safety services would face severe pressure. • Statewide economic importance: Data centers support 47,960 jobs, contribute $6.82 billion to Washington's GDP, and generate $1.8 billion in annual state and local tax revenue funding services that benefit every community. The attached letter underscores that eliminating the sales and use tax exemption and imposing new regulatory burdens on data centers would make Washington "a more complicated and costly place to build critical infrastructure," sending investment to other states at the very moment global demand for advanced computing is accelerating. What We Need From You Please reply with: • Confirmation that you would like your organization's logo included on the letter • A PNG or JPG version of the logo (high resolution preferred) A strong coalition of local governments, employers, utilities, ports, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, and community groups will help ensure legislators understand the real -world impacts these bills would have on rural Washington. Thank you for your partnership and assistance on this issue. Patrick Boss Public Affairs & Business Development Port of Quincy Mobile Phone: 360-878-7073 Email: publicaffairs@portofquincy.org Linkedln: hops://www.linkedin.com/companv1portofquincyl Facebook: hops://www.facebook.com/PortofQuincyl Website: www.portofquincy.org P.S. The attached letter may be updated slightly as additional logos are added or as signatories request minor adjustments.