Del. Comstock's Data Center Support Bill Passes

Bills designed to support the growing data center industry in Northern Virginia passed in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate last week with wide bipartisan support.

McLean Del. Barbara Comstock introduced legislation to “create a separate classification, for purposes of permitting localities to set a lower personal property tax rate, on computer equipment and peripherals used in a data center.” (HB 1699)

Comstock released this statement:

"The data center industry is projected to grow by hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming years. This bill will help Virginia continue to be a leader in this 21st century marketplace,” Comstock said. “Data center jobs and investment are a critical element in diversifying Virginia's technology economy and attracting private sector jobs as federal spending and procurement decreases."

Federal spending and the looming threat of sequestration are major concerns for Northern Virginia’s economy. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine Friday said sequestration—automatic federal spending cuts set to start in March—threatens education and dozens of other industries in the region.

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