County delays Google Vote, takes questions

Equipment moved into the Google property on the former site of Northwest Aluminum in the Port of The Dalles on Friday afternoon. Up to two data centers may be built on this portion of land, owned under the name Design LLC.

By Tom Peterson

Wasco County Commissioners delayed a vote on Wednesday, March 3, on a proposed agreement with Google that could bring two new data centers and some $126 million to the local community.

Commissioner Scott Hege made the announcement at the outset of the meeting, and County Administrative Officer Tyler Stone said additional time was necessary to draw up legal documents. 

Stone said the agreement might be ready by March 17, but said he would not be surprised if it took longer.

“Stay tuned on that aspect.” 

The agreement falls under state law and is called a strategic investment plan, which allows for Google to receive property tax breaks, but also gives the County and The City of The Dalles the ability to negotiate other fees and payments.

For a full explanation of the agreement click here. 

Members of the community are split on the proposal, as some say the tech giant should not receive any tax breaks. Other’s note the latest deal is the best so far from Google, and it will help local taxing districts as well as raise hope for local improvements, such as new schools.

Fire Negotiations

Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue is also still negotiation with Google on a deal that would allow for additional revenue for staff and equipment to provide services, according to Chief Bob Palmer.

Excavation Equipment has started to accumulate on property near the Google site of up to two new data centers.

“We want to make sure the fire district is comfortable with where they are at in those discussions,” Stone said. “The fire district is a key partner in a major development like this - It makes sense that we are walking step in step with this process.” 

How do we stack up?

City Councilor Dan Richardson asked how the Google proposal stacked up against other similar agreements in Oregon.

“It’s frustrating to tell you the truth,” Richardson said of not having a comparison thus far. “It would be helpful to be able to say this is a good deal with us… Did we get a good deal out of the (Strategic Investment Plan) comparing it to other communities is one way to get at that answer...

City Councilor Dan Richardson

SIP agreements are different, Stone said, noting such comparisons would be “apples to oranges.”

Wasco County Administrative Services Director Matthew Klebes said Business Oregon, the economic development agency for Oregon, likely had some information that could provide comparisons of deals around the state.

“I will dig into the data a little more that will shed a little light on that,” he said. “It might help.”

Stone and Wasco County Tax Assessor Jill Amery both were equally cryptic, stating the SIP agreement would be positives in the state.

“It’s a big subject,” Richardson said, noting the agreement had been undersold thus far. “That’s not a critique. You guys have undersold how radically better a deal this is than the previous ones negotiated,” noting the latest proposal is “eight times better or 10 times better than other deals.”

Commissioner Scott Hege

All Our Eggs in One Basket

One comment also stated that Google was creating the same situation that the aluminum plant created, a vast majority of the land and the economy in the port were controlled by a single company. 

“Now we’re putting all our eggs in one basket again,” he said. 

Commissioner Scott Hege said it was a valid point. But it was one neither the City nor the County controlled. Google purchased the land from Northwest Aluminum.

“In a perfect economy, you are diverse with lots of companies and industries,” Hege said. ...and unfortunately, we did not have a lot to do with that. Commissioners do not control the land. Northwest Aluminum controlled the land...”