Pennsylvania Just Voted to Pull the Plug on Big Tech's $517M Tax Break

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https://www.gadgetreview.com/pennsylvania-just-voted-to-pull-the-plug-on-big-techs-517m-tax-break

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The original was posted on /r/technology by /u/Plastic_Ninja_9014 on 2026-06-30 19:00:22+00:00.

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I think the news about local and state politicians losing their job over data center support has made an impression

If piss baby in Texas can change his mind, they all will. Self preservation above all else.



$75–100 million in capital investment and 25–45 jobs

Only $2M/job! What a steal.

Dozens of data center projects were already benefiting as of January 2026

Should be noted that a lot of these data centers can’t turn on, because the grid doesn’t have the capacity. Others can’t turn on because they have no customers lined up, merely trying to front-run demand.

These tax breaks are subsidizing a business need that hasn’t even materialized yet. And because of the poor regulatory and tax auditing of these highly technical facilities, it is entirely unclear how the state could have recouped these tax losses had the centers ever turned on.

Only $2M/job. What a deal

I love doing this sort of math on things. They could have just paid all those people $200,000 a year for a decade to sit on their ass and it would have cost the same.

We were gonna pay Iran $300b so that they wouldn’t charge $8b/month ($2m per ship) in fees for two months.


Well no, they couldn’t have, because this is money they can’t get in any case. Data centers that aren’t built don’t pay taxes.

So throwing money at a rich guy is good but throwing money at poor guys is bad. Got it.

It will trickle down, in someones moneybin.


Tax exemptions for activity that would not have taken place without those tax exemptions cost the state nothing - no money is being “thrown” and no potential tax income is being forgone. Meanwhile, giving “poor guys” $200,000 a year costs $200,000 per year per poor guy. That’s the difference.

Okay, exempt a bunch of normal folks from taxes then. Hell, if you start with the lowest bracket you could give money to thousands of people.








And then there is Florida…kinda doing the exact opposite.

Off topic, but is that MTG in your avatar pic? I thought I recognized the toilet brush collar from that infamous SotU outburst.

Yes?

Huh, wild. Couldn’t place the face for some reason. Thanks.





I do think that having the big companies pay for for the infrastructure without subsidies would’ve been nice. The grid needs upgrading for EVs and so on.


A 197–5 vote doesn’t happen in a state legislature — not on tax policy, not on anything.

<citation needed>


I wish we’d see more of this. In my opinion, once a company has a market cap over a certain amount, they should not be eligible for tax breaks. Taxing them literally hurts nobody!


Here in KC news just came out that there’s a public hearing on a proposed data center in downtown Kansas City on August 5th.

City Council here apparently really, really don’t want to get reelected.

If you have the time, reach and infrastructure to prepare, that might be a great opportunity for direct action. Everyone participating should have questions ready, both memorised and on paper about all the issues that have plagued other places: water pressure, water quality, power draw, heat islands. The paper helps with keeping the message consistent, jog memory under pressure, isn’t a big deal if taken away and can be handed or shown to curious bystanders. Have someone clean up afterwards too, don’t want any bullshit about littering obscuring the point.

Ask the administration how they are going to protect you against those risks. Stay polite, calm, but firm. Again, don’t give people grounds to attack your rudeness. Demand specific, actionable promises in writing and be persistent. You probably won’t get them, and they won’t voluntarily keep them, but the point is showing that you care enough about the issue to spend your time wasting theirs and to create the psychological pressure of people asking uncomfortable questions they’d rather ignore.

Prepare mentally and physically to be arrested, beaten, thrown in jail, all the customary honors afforded to those who challenge power. Cover yourself and each other to prevent serious injury, but don’t lash out at them. Stop anyone who does. They’ll be fishing for a pretext to disperse you with violence, may even send provocateurs to create one. Don’t let them have it. They might escalate anyway, but the sooner you give them a reason, the sooner and harder they will retaliate. That’s not a fight you’re gonna win, so avoid it as long as possible, because a protest is more effective the longer the protesters can last.

When the day is done, have some safe place (virtual or physical) to regroup and discuss what happened, what went wrong, what you achieved. If you got some promise, plan a way to hold them to it. If not, find a new way to disrupt and show them your not going ro just shrug and drop the matter.



Oh what I could do with just 1 million…


PA couldve avoided all this in ’24.


yep, Shapiro is running for president.


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