Daron Culbertson

My opinion on data centers is that in a limited capacity they could be a benefit to our county. I have spent the last year trying to learn as much as I can about them. Currently, I am trying to set up a tour to see one first-hand, so that I can have the knowledge to inform residents. The tax revenue is the biggest selling point, with the revenue being used to improve community services including schools, parks and recreation, police, fire and rescue. The ability to make these improvements without raising taxes on its residents would be a win.

I understand that a big concern is adding additional transmission lines to power these facilities. I think a good starting point is looking at properties where the lines already exist or could be underground. My concern is that neighboring counties are building data centers at a rapid rate and will need power. It would be disappointing to see our county flooded with overhead lines passing through and not have the revenue that a data facility located here would provide.

I have stated throughout my campaign that we need to have strategic growth while maintaining our rural integrity. I think taking each case individually is the best approach. There are areas in the county where they can be located without losing the overall scenic identity and without the risk of turning into Loudoun or Prince William. A cap could be beneficial, so that this isn’t an ongoing challenge. We have to be realistic about our proximity to Northern Virginia. Around 70% or the world’s internet runs through Ashburn and we are only 40 miles away. I have lived in the Lee district all of my life and have seen high density neighborhoods take over a lot of the farm land and open space. I have also watched sports fields disappear and promises of retail business and dining never come to fruition. I do not think that filling our county with data centers is the only answer, but if we can use tax revenue from a limited number of facilities to make large improvements that the community can see and use. That is strategic growth. It is safe to say that data centers are new to most of us and there are a lot of unknowns. It is important for us to take the time and gain as much knowledge, so we can make informed recommendations to the residents.