DATA CENTER TAX EXEMPTIONS & CREDITS
Qualifying Data Centers: facility whose primary services are storage, management, and processing of digital data; applies to both existing and new data centers. To be qualified, the following requirements must be met:
Capital Investment: must make at least $250 million capital investment over 60-month period; existing data centers may have made investment immediately prior to January 1, 2020.
Job Creation: must result in creation of at least 20 full-time jobs over a 60-month period with compensation equal to or greater than 120% of median wage paid to full-time employees in that county.
Green Building Standards: building must be carbon-neutral or attain green building certification (may include LEED, BREEAM, ENERGY STAR, or other programs).
Sales Tax Exemption: eligible for “qualified tangible personal property” that is used in the construction or operation of a data center following the issuance of a certificate of exemption by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Includes items such as electrical systems, hardware, computers, cabinets, cooling systems, and many others.
Income Tax Credit: 20% of wages paid to a full-time or part-time employee of a construction contractor; only offered to new data centers located in specific areas that meet certain poverty, unemployment, or other need-based conditions.
ILLINOIS WORKS JOBS PROGRAM ACT
The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program is created to provide grants to aid in the development of a network of community-based organizations to recruit, pre-screen, and provide pre-apprenticeship training for careers in the construction and building trades.
The Illinois Bid Credit Program is also created to provide economic incentives – through bid credits – to encourage contractors and subcontractors to provide employment opportunities to historically underrepresented populations.