Jon Husted pushed for data centers and tax incentives in Ohio, as Sherrod Brown ads say

As Ohio prepares to open a massive artificial intelligence data center, debate has intensified around billions of dollars in tax incentives the state has provided to attract the industry.

In his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Jon Husted, Democrat Sherrod Brown launched an ad saying Husted “led the push to bring data centers to Ohio and gave billions of tax dollars to make it happen.” 

Brown’s campaign has made similar claims in other ads and social media posts. 

The ad features an unnamed man criticizing Google’s Lancaster data center in central Ohio. 

“No one asked for that data center to be built here. And no one here is getting a damn thing from it, except higher electric bills,” he said. “Jon Husted is the reason this is here.” 

Husted served in various offices of Ohio state government from 2001 to early 2025 before Republican Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Vice President JD Vance. As DeWine’s lieutenant governor, Husted promoted data center expansion in Ohio and the industry received billions of dollars in tax breaks.

Under state law, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority approves exemptions for eligible data centers. The authority considers recommendations from the Ohio Department of Development and the Ohio Tax Commissioner before deciding whether to enter into an exemption agreement.

But the tax authority “functions as an arm of the administration,” David Niven, a University of Cincinnati political science professor, told PolitiFact, and it’s “common practice” for the governor and lieutenant governor to claim credit for corporate tax incentives the board approves.

Husted’s role promoting data centers and Ohio’s industry tax breaks 

Data centers in Ohio received about $2.5 billion in state and local tax incentives from 2017 to 2024, according to a 2025 report published by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved these exemptions during former Gov. John Kasich’s and DeWine’s administrations.

Husted’s most prominent role in data center expansion happened when he was lieutenant governor from 2019 to 2025.

“Many, if not most Ohio lawmakers actively supported” data center industry growth in Ohio “and Jon Husted was certainly among them,” said Robert Alexander, a Bowling Green State University political professor. “His position as lieutenant governor put him in key position to advocate on behalf of data centers and he did so enthusiastically.”

In 2019, Husted publicly defended the tax incentives associated with Google’s $600 million New Albany data center. Google received a 15-year state sales-tax exemption estimated at $43.5 million, along with a local property-tax abatement. Husted argued the economic benefits would outweigh the incentives and said requiring Google to pay the sales tax could have pushed the company to invest elsewhere.

In June 2023, Husted also joined DeWine and JobsOhio, an economic development corporation, in announcing Amazon Web Services’ $7.8 billion investment for a data center in central Ohio. Husted said it was a step toward making Ohio “the tech center of the Midwest.” 

A few months later, in September 2023, DeWine and Husted announced the Aligned Data Centers project in Erie County, which received a 75%, 15-year tax exemption. They said the company expected to create 18 full-time jobs.

In 2025, Husted and DeWine announced Amazon’s pledge for $10 billion to expand its operations in Ohio. Husted said artificial intelligence and data centers were “crucial to America’s economic superiority because they drive innovation, support high-tech industries” and helped analyze vast data “essential for global competitiveness.”

Husted involvement in early data center tax incentive programs

As House Speaker from 2005 to 2009, Husted had the authority to appoint members to the Ohio Tax Authority. We asked Husted’s reelection campaign and the Ohio Department of Development, which oversees the authority, whether Husted appointed members but received no information.

“Husted, as speaker, was an advocate for Ohio’s tax credit process, but the membership of the Ohio Tax Credit Authority would have changed between his time as speaker and the boom in data center projects,” Niven said. “And during the DeWine-Husted administration, he was involved in the appointments process for other regulatory positions, so he would have been in a position to have influence over appointments to the Tax Credit Authority.”

The Ohio Legislature approved a 2011 law that created the sales- and use-tax exemption for eligible data center equipment, marking the beginning of Ohio’s data center tax exemption program.

Under Kasich, Ohio created a 100% sales-tax exemption for qualifying data centers. From 2014 to 2018, Kasich’s administration approved statewide exemption agreements with Amazon, Meta and Google. State estimates released in June value those three agreements at about $600 million each, roughly $1.8 billion combined. 

Husted’s position on tax breaks has changed

More recently, amid public concerns about the growth and costs of data centers, Husted has said new data centers should not get tax breaks, but that it ultimately should be a local decision. 

In July, Husted introduced the Ratepayer Protection Act to encourage states to require large electricity users, including data centers, to pay the costs associated with the power generation, transmission and other infrastructure needed to serve them. On Sept. 17, Husted failed to get unanimous consent in the Senate to pass the bill; the House passed a companion measure.

Transparency around data center deals has also become an issue in Ohio. In Brown County, officials in the village of Mount Orab negotiated a proposed data center project under nondisclosure agreements, prompting questions about what information was available to the public. The controversy has helped spur legislation, including House Bill 695, which would prohibit certain local officials from entering into NDAs. The bill has not passed the Legislature. 

Our ruling

A Brown ad said Husted “led the push to bring data centers to Ohio and gave billions of tax dollars to make it happen.”

As Ohio’s lieutenant governor, Husted promoted data center expansion in the state and applauded and defended tax incentives to lure the industry. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority formally approved the tax exemptions, but an expert said the authority is an arm of the administration.

Brown’s statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information. We rate it Mostly True.