Washington County Board of Commissioners PM Work Session, 07/28/26 (Part 1)

The Washington County Board of Commissioners held a work session on July 28, 2026, focusing primarily on enterprise zones and data centers within the county. Staff provided detailed information on the structure, fiscal impacts, and administration of enterprise zones, including the tax abatements offered to businesses and the associated administrative costs, which average about $6,700 per application annually. The discussion highlighted that Washington County currently is not a zone sponsor but consents to zones created by cities like Hillsboro and Beaverton. The board reviewed the complexities of enterprise zone applications, including multiple investment periods and compliance tracking. They also discussed community concerns such as the impact of abatements on local tax revenues, wage levels, and land use. Regarding data centers, the board examined their definitions, valuation methods, water and electricity usage, noise, health impacts, and employment benefits, noting that data centers are significant capital investments with relatively few but high-paying jobs. The session included debate over the county's role in data center regulation and whether to convene a county-specific data center work group, with some commissioners expressing interest in proactive engagement while others preferred to focus on existing workloads and government relations efforts. The meeting concluded with a unanimous vote to send a letter to U.S. senators regarding the Save America Act and an adjournment to executive session.