Resident urges transparency on data centers' local tax contributions; council agrees to follow up

A Pataskala resident urged the council for transparency around local data centers and said a company is 'already delivering $34,000,000 in taxes,' a figure he said could exceed the city's annual budget. Council members asked the speaker to leave contact information so staff can investigate and respond.

Mitchell House, who provided his name and address during the public-comment period, said he came to the meeting to be informed about data-center activity and its local effects. He said the claim that a company had delivered $34 million in taxes was "just scary" and asked how the city should handle a large corporate presence headquartered out of state. Councilors and staff did not verify the figure during the meeting; instead they asked the speaker to submit his questions on a contact card and said staff or the mayor's office would follow up.

Why it matters: Data centers can have significant fiscal and land-use impacts in small cities. The council's willingness to take questions and request follow-up indicates staff-level fact-checking is expected before policy responses or official statements are made.

Details and context: The speaker tied his concern to broader public skepticism about government after the pandemic and said he was seeking factual information rather than making a formal accusation. The chair and other council members offered to pass the query to staff and ensure the citizen receives answers. The meeting record does not identify the company referenced or provide documentation to support the $34 million figure; the claim therefore remains unverified in the public record.

Next steps: Council requested that the resident provide his contact card so staff can research the taxpayer figures and respond. Any verification, documentation or recommended policy actions would be recorded at a future meeting if staff reports back.