Inside DeWine's Block of New Ohio Data Center Tax Incentives: CLExplained
Ohio is no longer approving new tax incentives for AI data centers after a report highlighted $1.6 billion in breaks last year. Here's what that means for local taxpayers.
by Stephanie Haney | Jun. 4, 2026 | 9:46 PM
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Ohio has paused new data center tax breaks after the state reported losing an estimated $1.6 billion in tax revenue from the incentives in 2025 — nearly 12 times more than expected.
In this episode of CLExplained, Stephanie Haney, host of the Sound of Ideas, breaks down how Ohio’s data center tax exemption program ballooned far beyond projections, why Gov. Mike DeWine ordered a pause on new applications, and why existing agreements could continue costing the state billions for years to come.
Learn how the tax breaks work, what Signal Cleveland reporter Jake Zuckerman uncovered, why lawmakers are taking a closer look at data centers, and what this means for Ohio communities and taxpayers.
Watch the full video below.
Stephanie Haney
Stephanie Haney is the host of the Sound of Ideas. She's an award-winning journalist and podcast host and a licensed attorney in both Ohio and California. She knows Northeast Ohio well, having been born and raised in Canton and having spent six years working for WKYC, where she created, produced and hosted multiple shows across digital and TV platforms. Prior to that, she worked for DailyMailTV and dailymail.com, and had a producing fellowship with Good Morning America.
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