# Festus, MO votes out city council members who supported a large data center **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 11, 2026, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215 "2026-04-11T22:50:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/1 "2026-04-11T22:50:52Z")
And this is why local elections are so important! Okay, maybe the center will still be built, but they’re going to be fighting obstacles all the way. > **[After $6B data center plan, Festus voters oust every incumbent council member](https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2026-04-08/6b-data-center-festus-voters-oust-every-incumbent-council-member)** > > A week after a controversial vote to approve rules for a CRG Clayco data center, anti-data center candidates ousted half of the Festus City Council. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/2 "2026-04-11T23:07:05Z")
There are reasons a small community like Festus wouldn’t want this data center. They suck up resources. And don’t give much back to the community as in employment or spending dollars. Massive government incentives equal massive government over reach. IMO. I’m happy they are even talking about it. The more you know. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/3 "2026-04-11T23:12:29Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > There are reasons a small community like Festus wouldn’t want this data center. Definitely. What I wonder is, what are the reasons they would want it? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/4 "2026-04-11T23:17:31Z")
So they could say they do, I guess? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/5 "2026-04-11T23:25:48Z")
Depends on how much property tax that facility would have paid compared to the taxes of the present use of the land. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/6 "2026-04-11T23:29:09Z")
I expect the reason the center was going to be built there was a promise of no taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/7 "2026-04-11T23:38:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > > > There are reasons a small community like Festus wouldn’t want this data center. > > Definitely. What I wonder is, what are the reasons they would want it? “Growth is good”? A belief that getting some revenue and a smallish number of jobs is worth giving up gigantic tax breaks? Under the table payments? Lots of dazzling thought processes go into these decisions. In the end, it’s probably the same delusionary thinking that leads to public financing of sports stadiums. > [@](#): > > Many experts don’t agree that tax breaks for data centers are a good deal. [Studies](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5881105) have shown that long-term tax subsidies do not provide local growth in the economy or in tech employment. Who cares what those pointy-headed intellectuals think, amirite? 🤪 Opposition is playing out in a number of places. > **[Independence gives billions in tax breaks for a massive data center, despite...](https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2026-03-03/independence-gives-billions-in-tax-breaks-for-a-massive-data-center-despite-outcry-from-residents)** > > The city approved massive tax breaks because they say the money and protections city will receive make it a good deal. Opponents want to put the incentives on the ballot so residents can weigh in. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2026, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/8 "2026-04-11T23:44:14Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I expect the reason the center was going to be built there was a promise of no taxes.. Yes, and the cynic in me suspects that there was also the provision of some untraceable crypto currency involved. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/9 "2026-04-12T00:40:39Z")
Local media suggests the biggest objection wasn’t taxes or resources, but that the city council and data center people couldn’t/wouldn’t identify who was actually going to own and operate the center. [The lawsuit filed by a citizens group](https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/lawsuit-seeks-to-halt-data-center-project-in-festus/) essentially claims the entire deal was done behind closed doors and without an opportunity for public input. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2026, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/festus-mo-votes-out-city-council-members-who-supported-a-large-data-center/1029215/10 "2026-04-12T01:38:30Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > done behind closed doors and without an opportunity for public input. \< cough \> crypto send to anonymous wallets \< cough \>