A working ledger of tax exemptions, abatements, public infrastructure, utility commitments, and subsidy programs connected to data center projects. Every entry links to a public source people can open themselves.
10linked money records
38+states with dedicated incentives per NCSL
$2B+reported in several state ledgers
DocumentedOhio
Ohio statewide data center exemptions
Ohio is the clearest statewide money-trail target so far: records show very large long-term sales-tax exemptions, including major allocations to Big Tech affiliates, while the state paused new applications in 2026.
Beneficiary
Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Ark/Carlyle, and other approved projects
Amount
At least $2.3B committed; 2025 cost estimates reportedly rose to about $1.6B
Mechanism
Sales-tax exemptions for servers, equipment, and related qualifying purchases
Source basis
State exemption data obtained by Signal Ohio; Ohio reporting on revised cost estimates
Indiana’s state program can exempt qualifying purchases for decades, and public reporting after disclosure pressure showed hundreds of millions in foregone revenue.
Beneficiary
Amazon and other qualifying data center operators
Amount
WTHR/Good Jobs First reported about $655M in disclosed exemptions, most tied to Amazon
Mechanism
State sales and use tax exemption on qualified data center equipment and energy
Source basis
Indiana Economic Development Corporation program rules and investigative reporting
This is a smaller but useful project-level example because the public amount, beneficiary, mechanism, and political challenge are all reported clearly.
Beneficiary
Ark Data Centers / Carlyle Group
Amount
$4.5M incentive reported
Mechanism
50% sales-tax exemption on equipment over 10 years
The national money trail is bigger than individual projects. The tracker needs state-program rows as well as project rows because many subsidies are automatic once a project qualifies.
Beneficiary
Data center developers and hyperscale operators
Amount
NCSL reported 38 states offer dedicated incentives; CBPP reported 40 states offer some sort of subsidy
Houston-area grid subsidy adjacent to data center demand
This is not a direct data center subsidy, so it is labeled as grid-adjacent. It belongs in the money trail because new power plants and transmission upgrades are increasingly justified by data center load growth.
Beneficiary
NRG Energy; indirectly high-load industrial and data center growth
Amount
$11M Houston tax break, $21M school district tax break, and $370M Texas Energy Fund loan reported
Kevin O'Leary's Stratos Project belongs in the money ledger because the public fight is not only about land, water, and power. Reporting has also focused on large proposed tax rebates and whether promised jobs justify the public cost.
Beneficiary
O'Leary Digital / O'Leary Ventures and Stratos Project developers
Amount
Reported 100% personal-property tax rebate and 80% real-property tax rebate for up to 30 years; final development agreement still contested
Mechanism
Property-tax rebates and development incentives tied to a massive AI data center and power complex
Source basis
Business Insider reporting, Utah local reporting, and public debate around project approvals
Needs project recordsShreveport and Bossier City, Louisiana
Louisiana Amazon / STACK campuses
Louisiana is a priority follow-up because the project is enormous and local reporting has already identified water and power commitments, but the public-dollar ledger needs itemized government records.
Beneficiary
Amazon / STACK Infrastructure and related utility infrastructure
Amount
Public incentive and subsidy amounts unknown; awaiting itemized government records
Mechanism
Infrastructure, power, water, and economic-development commitments
Source basis
Local reporting and Public Citizen secrecy analysis
Project context: Amazon company guidance, August 18, 2026: $18B planned private investment across three campuses. Historical context: $12B announced February 23, 2026. These are company plans, not recorded spending or public subsidy amounts.