Fulton County is eyeing a massive tax reset for its biggest digital neighbors, and the numbers are staggering. Chairman Robb Pitts says a fresh appraisal of hyperscale data centers could bring in as much as $85 million in new property-tax revenue. County staff are recommending a dramatic jump in appraised values for a group of large server farms, from under $100 million to roughly $5 billion in total. Pitts argues that kind of bump could help pay for health-care and jail services without touching the tax rate. The Fulton County Board of Assessors is set to weigh the plan this Thursday.
What Pitts is proposing
As reported by 11Alive, Pitts wants the county to bring in an outside appraisal firm to review a sample of “trophy property” valuations and to hire outside legal counsel to defend the county in any appeals. According to the local report, Pitts told officials he received hundreds of complaints last year about undervaluation and presented the review as a way to make sure data centers pay what he calls their fair share.
Why county leaders say it matters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier this year that county leaders have long suspected commercial properties, including data centers, are being underassessed and that the county put out an RFP for independent appraisal services. The AJC also noted that Pitts has asked state lawmakers to let assessors factor in additional costs such as capital investments and to restrict certain appeals connected to development abatements.
Where the money would go
Pitts and county materials outline a wish list for the potential windfall: health-care investments, a new hospital in south Fulton, renovations to the Rice Street jail and a medical facility geared toward inmates with mental-health and substance-use disorders. According to 11Alive, Pitts has argued the extra revenue could help tackle those pressing needs without raising the millage rate.
Next steps
The Fulton County Board of Assessors’ 2026 meeting schedule lists sessions on June 4 and June 18 at 12:30 p.m., placing the sample-appraisal recommendation on this week’s calendar. As outlined by the Fulton County Board of Assessors, these meetings are where the board signs off on changes to appraised values.
Legal and appeals
County officials are already bracing for legal fights if valuations climb. Commissioners have discussed hiring boutique outside counsel with commercial-real-estate expertise to defend the new assessments. The county’s meeting records, including a Board of Commissioners discussion labeled “Commercial Property and Data Center Valuations” and related executive-session notes, indicate officials are anticipating pushback, according to Fulton County.
What to watch
All eyes are on whether the Board of Assessors signs off this Thursday and how large data-center owners react. Similar valuation battles have sparked appeals and public scrutiny across the county. Local commercial-real-estate coverage suggests some officials inside county government are firmly behind the push, and Bisnow notes that advocates have praised Pitts and the assessors’ leadership on the revaluation effort.
