HARLEM, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Columbia County officials are outlining how two Google data centers planned for Harlem could reshape the county’s budget — and potentially eliminate a portion of residents’ property tax bills. County Commission Chairman Doug Duncan said Thursday the county’s goal in attracting data centers is to eliminate its share of property taxes. Property taxes currently make up 40% of Columbia County’s total budget. House Bill 439 allows counties to set aside money for property tax relief. Columbia County voters will see that measure on the November ballot. If passed, the county could collect revenue from the data centers and use it to cover maintenance and operating costs currently funded by property taxes. Based on the 2025 budget, if the two Google data centers in Harlem covered that entire 40% share, it would amount to $166 million in revenue for the county. The County said the county’s portion of the property tax bill is the target — not the full tax bill. Fire, bond, and school tax portions would remain. Duncan described the rules governing the data centers as some of the most restrictive data center covenants in the country. The ordinance, passed in December, includes: The data centers will operate as closed-loop systems, meaning they recycle water used for cooling rather than continuously drawing in new water. Google promotes workforce training and community education programs in areas where it builds data centers. The company’s website lists 757 data…
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