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Goochland supervisors set 2026 tax rates, fix data‑center rate at 44¢ after heated debate
Summary
The Goochland County Board of Supervisors approved 2026 tax rates, including a contentious increase in the technology/data‑center rate to $0.44 per $100 of assessed value, after members debated whether a higher baseline helps negotiation or will deter investment.
The Goochland County Board of Supervisors adopted the county’s 2026 tax rates on a roll call after a prolonged exchange over the rate that will apply to hyperscale data‑center property. The board approved an amendment setting the data‑center portion of the tax rate at $0.44 per $100 of assessed value.
Supporters of the 44¢ figure said the higher baseline preserves county negotiating room with prospective developers and helps fund essential capital needs. “Over the next 5 years, we have over $230,000,000 in essential and necessary capital expenditures in our capital improvement plan,” said Supervisor Waters, citing spending needs for schools, courthouse upgrades and utilities. He and other proponents argued that modest increases would help meet debt‑service obligations for a long list of projects.
Opponents warned a high headline rate could signal to the market that the county is closed to data‑center investment. “A 3 dollar per $100 rate would lead to no large scale economic development in the Technology Overlay District,” one supervisor warned during debate, urging a more moderate approach to preserve the county’s competitiveness with neighboring localities.
Board members discussed tradeoffs at length: staff and some supervisors emphasized that negotiated agreements often produce concessions on operational standards — such as noise and lighting — in exchange for tax relief. Several supervisors described the Technology Overlay District and recent work to add zoning protections as leverage in future negotiations.
After members called the question, the board approved the amended tax‑rate motion by roll call. The vote followed procedural motions and a final roll‑call readout recorded in the meeting minutes.
The county clerk said the adopted rates will be posted with the official minutes and that staff will prepare the implementing language for the tax billing cycle. No specific development incentives were adopted in today’s motion; the board left negotiation authority to staff and the county administration while setting the revised headline data‑center rate.
