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Flagship evidence ledger · Local finance

New Albany: reported local revenue, easily misread.

The city reports approximately $10 million in community-development charges from data-center projects for tax year 2024, collected in 2025. Its $178 million “payroll equivalent” is a revenue comparison—not payroll or wages paid.

Market: multiple hyperscalersPlace: New Albany, OhioLast reviewed: 10 September 2026
≈$10M2024 community-development charges, collected 2025
$178MPayroll-equivalent comparison for one hyperscaler
AnnualTax Incentive Review Council process
Bottom lineNew Albany offers unusually explicit public explanations of its minimum-revenue mechanism and annual incentive review. The next verification step is agreement- and company-level reconciliation against auditor receipts and TIRC records.

Claim-to-outcome ledger

Government-reported

Approximately $10 million in special charges

The city says data-center projects generated approximately $10 million in community-development charge revenue for tax year 2024, collected in 2025. These charges are collected by the New Albany East Community Authority, a separate legal entity, with use controlled by the city under a cooperative agreement. Receipts were not independently audited for this V1.Locator: City of New Albany, “How does New Albany’s minimum annual service payment formula work?”

Needs context

$178 million is a payroll equivalent

The city compares one hyperscaler’s revenue contribution with the municipal income tax that $178 million of payroll would generate at 2%. It does not say the data center paid $178 million in wages.Locator: City of New Albany, “Data Centers are a Financial Benefit to New Albany.”

Process verified

Active abatements receive annual review

The city describes annual TIRC review comparing each active agreement with reported company performance. This establishes a review mechanism, not automatic proof that every project met every promise.

Mechanism documented

Minimum revenue can come from four streams

The city identifies TIF collections, community-authority charges, municipal income tax and a cash payment in lieu of taxes. Gross receipts should not be treated as unrestricted net benefit without tracing debt service and public costs.

Not verified here

Company-by-company compliance and net fiscal return

The reviewed city explainer does not by itself reconcile every agreement, payment receipt, infrastructure obligation and public operating cost for AWS, Meta and Google.

Primary source