Crafting Your Message
Thank you for being willing to voice your support for Loudoun’s data center industry to our Board of Supervisors.
The most impactful way to deliver your message is by standing before the Board during one of the public input sessions. These are held at their twice monthly work meetings.
Here are a few helpful speaking tips:
- Public Comments at these meetings are generally only limited to two minutes. Practice your remarks and emphasize 2-3 key points.
- Bring 10 additional copies of your remarks – one for each Supervisor and the Clerk.
- Remember to tell them your name and the location (Ashburn, Purcellville, etc.) where you live and work.
If you can’t make a public Board meeting, consider sending a letter or e-mail to your Supervisor AND to the Chair-at-Large, Phyllis Randall.
A schedule of Board of Supervisors public work meetings can be found here. Postal and e-mail addresses for each Supervisor can be found here.
Customize this Draft Testimonial
Below is a draft testimonial. Customize this to your liking to make it sound more authentic.
“Good Evening, Madam Chair and members of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.
My name is (Your Name) and I am the (Your Title) of (Your Business) located in (Your Business Location).
I’d like to share with you my support for the data center industry in Loudoun and for all the benefits that they bring to our community.
I understand the Board is taking a hard look at restricting the future locations future data centers in Loudoun.
May main concern with this proposal is that it will threaten the industry’s growth in Loudoun, and also lead to its constriction, diminishing a rich source of jobs, business opportunities and tax dollars for our community.
I am sure you know the positive impact that this industry has on Loudoun, but the numbers are so staggering they do bear repeating.
Data centers alone generate more than $500 million in local tax revenue in Loudoun County. The companies this industry supports paid even more taxes to the county.
The taxes this industry generates are enough to pay for the entire County operations budget.
Without those revenues, you would have to raise the average homeowner’s real property tax bill by at least $1,500 every year.
Without those revenues, this Board will, have fewer resources for local priorities, such as schools, affordable housing, and roads.
More than 4,000 are employed by a Data Center which is more than two thirds of the total number statewide.
Including construction jobs, almost 23,000 were employed in Loudoun last year because of this industry.
And these are in-demand, well-paying, high-tech jobs. The average annual pay of a data center employee grew 70% faster than the average private sector employee and in Virginia it is $134,000. That number is even higher in Loudoun.
Finally, data center companies are leading way on renewable energy. Their demand for locally generated renewable energy has created a strong demand Virginia.
The Solar Energy Industries Association reports that 3,444 megawatts (MW) of solar generation capacity has been installed in Virginia. This translates to $3.4 billion of investment in solar energy projects.
Thank you for considering my opinions on this important matter, and I ask you to oppose this proposal.”
For more information on this topic, and how to register to speak at the Board meeting, click here or contact Government Relations Manager Theo Stamatis or call 571-209-9021.