Wasco County Commission Approves Enterprise Zone Agreement

Wasco County Commissioners voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve a 15-year enterprise zone tax abatement agreement for Google’s proposed new data center on 23 acres near Taylor Lakes.  The Dalles City Council voted to approve the deal on Tuesday.  Most those of who spoke at the Commission meeting once again cited the lack of time given the public to digest the deal, even though many were in favor the agreement.  Commission Chair Scott Hege revealed he called Google representatives Tuesday evening to try to get more time before a vote had to be taken, but was not successful.  In a statement before the vote Hege defended the amount of money he, County Administrative Officer Tyler Stone, The Dalles Mayor Steve Lawrence, and City Manager Nolan Young negotiated in the deal, which will be based on the size of building Google constructs but calls for minimums of a one-point-four million dollar initial payment and one million dollars annually for 15 years.  Hege noted at the minimum level the amounts are six to ten times what similar agreements in Oregon have brought.

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