LETTER: Mayor: Data center will help keep all ‘we love about Port’

To Ozaukee Press: 

This past weekend, a City of Port Washington resident came up to me at the farmers market and asked for a few minutes of my time. She started out by asking why I would allow a company to come in and “destroy” our city? I wasn’t surprised by this question, because I know people have heard inaccurate information about the data center project and I always welcome the opportunity to explain all of the facts.

I asked her why she thought this company would destroy our city and why she thought I would allow this. Her reply: “That’s what I read online.” 

After answering her questions and letting her know that accurate information is available in the FAQ section of our city’s website, she told me that it’s sad that so many people don’t look for all of the information that is available.

The nearly year-long journey to where we are today with the Vantage Data Centers project was a deliberate and thoughtful process that included significant diligence, proactive communication, community listening sessions, public sessions and public hearings.

As the direct result of these interactions and public comments, we developed and adopted one of the most aggressive zoning codes in the country. We addressed concerns about light pollution, landscaping, building heights, setbacks, noise levels and more. Vantage plans to plant more than 2,300 native trees, with open spaces on the site covered by native grasses and wildflowers.

The internet might have told people the data center would be 10 stories high and drain Lake Michigan. The actual data center plans presented to the city are just about three stories tall and will use about the same amount of water as 65 houses. They’ll buy water from the city and they’ll pay for upgrades to the system that benefit all of us as residents—along with a lot of other important infrastructure upgrades that might not have made it to your Facebook feed.

The data center is a private development happening on land that people sold voluntarily. By annexing this land and putting a developer’s agreement in place, the city has ensured that residents won’t pay any of the costs of this project, while Vantage will pay taxes and pay for infrastructure improvements and services it receives from the city.

So why is this project necessary? Simply put, we need to address increasing costs without increasing the already unsustainable burden we are putting on our residents.

Right now, our homeowners bear about 80% of the city’s total budget. And we are looking at an estimated $500,000 gap to continue our city services at current levels for 2026. Inflation will only make this worse. Without a major economic development opportunity in place, all these costs would go directly to our current homeowners and businesses.

When I first ran for mayor, I made it clear that we would look for strategic partnerships to grow our local economy and reduce the tax burden on residents. We started by looking at manufacturing, but it quickly became clear that adding a large manufacturing presence would lead to pollution, traffic, infrastructure strains and labor needs that our region could not fill. Contrast that with the modern data centers I visited in Virginia: exceptionally clean, nicely landscaped and surprisingly quiet. They use water efficiently and do not pollute the air.

The agreement that we passed last week puts residents first. Our infrastructure will be modernized on the north side of town, creek and bluff stabilization will occur and the city will generate millions of dollars in fees that will be used to offset our deficit in the future. 

Our tax burden will begin to even out in 2027, with the data center and affiliated business development projected to relieve much of residents’ burden in the future. The same will happen to the taxes collected by our schools, county and technical college. 

Diversifying our city’s economy is the only way to preserve our city’s historic charm, safety, livability, parks and schools.

Building a new subdivision every few years is not the answer; their slightly increased property values do not offset new demand for services. Putting a technology campus on the outskirts of the city is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to greatly increase our tax base while attracting new businesses, regional growth, educational opportunities, high paying jobs and people to visit our city from around the world. 

I want to thank the council for doing their diligence, making the process difficult for our consultants by asking hard questions, getting guarantees, and ensuring that we put Port Washington residents first in the developer’s agreement.

I understand that people want to preserve all of the great things we love about Port Washington. I want that, too. For that to happen, though, we need to grow and diversify our economy. This project, and the way it is structured to protect residents while providing significant near-term and long-term benefits, is exactly how we will accomplish that.

Ted Neitzke

Mayor

City of Port Washington