{
  "id": 18293165,
  "title": "A tiny Ohio town just found a way to make data centers pay",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/a-tiny-ohio-town-just-found-a-way-to-make-data-centers-pay",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-05T11:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Vox",
    "slug": "vox",
    "url": "https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/509247/ohio-data-centers-ai-election-perry-tax-breaks"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Perry, Ohio, a small town of roughly 1,400 people, residents have successfully passed Issue 16, a measure that requires data centers to provide a bond guaranteeing future jobs or tax revenue. This novel approach aims to bind data center operators to their promises, even in the face of potential setbacks like a collapse of the AI industry or shrinking facilities.\n\nThe measure comes after a bitter battle over plans for a 230-acre data center that would consume nearly one-sixth of the town's land area. While other towns have banned data centers outright, Perry's Issue 16 offers a more constructive solution by ensuring data centers fulfill their commitments, even if the worst-case scenarios unfold.\n\nThe success of Issue 16 in Perry could serve as a blueprint for other small towns looking to build better deals with Big Tech. As the AI boom and data center construction continue to spark controversy, this approach may prove to be a more appealing option for communities seeking to maintain control over their local economies and resources.",
  "summary": "In a state of post-election bliss, John Nicely drove his daily school bus route on Wednesday morning through the tiny town of Perry, Ohio, a few miles south of Lake Erie. “So, when are you taking down the signs, Mr. Nicely?” his students asked him as they filed inside, “because you kicked butt, buddy.” They […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Perry, Ohio, passes Issue 16 requiring data centers to provide job or tax revenue bonds.",
    "Town of 1,400 residents successfully approves the measure.",
    "Approach aims to bind data center operators to commitments despite industry setbacks."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}