By Mike Sunnucks | Rose Law Group Reporter
Mesa will look to get Foreign Trade Zone tax breaks for Google’s planned new $1 billion data center on farmland in the East Valley.
Foreign Trade Zones offer lower property taxes and lower customs duties. The Mesa City Council will vote on approvals for the Google data center today. The deal includes seeking Foreign Trade Zone status for the data center property when Google requests such a move.
The city of Mesa already operates Foreign Trade Zone #221 which includes Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The city can apply with the U.S. Department of Commerce to extend FTZ status and tax breaks to other parcels.
The $1 billion Google data center is slated for farmland at Elliot and Sossaman roads.
Google is also in line for other tax breaks for the Arizona project including a Government Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET) deal.
The proposal before the City Council also calls for Google to display signage of its presence at the planned data center.
Mesa is already home to a large Apple data and operations center.
