Georgia lawmakers vowed to restrain tax breaks. But the governor’s veto saved a data-center break

By JEFF AMY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia lawmakers vowed they were going to rein in tax breaks for businesses this year, but their efforts came to nothing. Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday vetoed a bill to pause for two years a sales tax exemption the state gives for building and equipping computer data centers. Kemp’s veto shows how hard it is to root out tax breaks. The dispute in Georgia mirrors fights in states including Virginia, where data centers are sparking a backlash. So many data centers are opening in Georgia that it is causing a drain on the power grid. The International Energy Agency says electrical consumption from data centers worldwide could double by 2026.