COLUMBUS, Ohio – Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that he has directed the chair of the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to pause consideration of any new data center tax exemption requests while the Ohio General Assembly’s Joint Data Center Committee studies the growth of data centers in Ohio.
“Data centers are a critical component to today’s technology-driven economy, which depends on the virtual, large-scale exchange of information,” DeWine said in a news release. “One of the reasons Ohio has been so successful in attracting new businesses and creating new jobs is that we have invested in the data infrastructure needed to support complex technological innovation. Data centers that have previously been granted sales and use tax benefits in Ohio have reported a total capital investment of $27.2 billion in 2025.
The Ohio Tax Credit Authority will stop accepting new data center tax exemption proposals after its currently scheduled meeting Monday, where an existing data center tax exemption request will be considered. This action only suspends the ability for data centers to request tax exemptions in Ohio; it is not a data center ban.
“I fully support the Ohio General Assembly’s work to study the issue and bring forward facts about data centers, including the local benefits to communities when tax exemptions are granted,” DeWine said. “As this work is ongoing, I believe it is appropriate for the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to pause its consideration of new data center tax exemptions while the full impact of data center growth in Ohio is being reviewed.”