On the evening of August 4th, developer Brian O'Neill released an economic impact study for the proposed Conshohocken data center, and the headline figure is designed to get your attention. The claim, per MoreThanTheCurve, is $424 million in new local tax revenue over 20 years. Big number, spread across two decades, produced by the people who very much want the project approved. I guess we should read the fine print before we start planning what to do with all that money.
The timing is not accidental. Borough council meets tonight, August 5th, and there are, per reporting on the agenda, several interesting items on the docket. Meanwhile, over in Plymouth Township, council has been notably less charmed by the data center pitch. Patch reported Plymouth's council accusing the developer of "demanding approval by tantrum" and warning that the application as it stands "blatantly disregards the health, welfare, and safety of the community."
Two neighboring municipalities, one developer, wildly different receptions. If you have opinions about what a data center means for traffic, tax base, or the general vibe of the borough, tonight is the night to bring them.