Editorial Board: Let’s be blunt: the so-called “data center threat” being pushed by members of the Upper Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners looks less like responsible governance and more like a deliberate scare tactic designed to justify a multi-million-dollar land purchase.
Commissioner Elwood Taylor’s track record makes this impossible to ignore. As discussed at the August 8th 2026 meeting, during the 2008 housing crash—when property values collapsed and distressed assets flooded the market—Taylor encouraged using taxpayer money to purchase properties from a developer at full market value. While others were buying at steep discounts, Upper Pottsgrove taxpayers were locked into inflated prices and years of debt. Now, history appears to be repeating itself.
The same developer that Taylor, as commissioner, bailed out in 2006 —who has held multiple parcels for more than two decades without developing them—is once again positioned to benefit at the taxpayers’ expense. Two of those properties, 67 Steinmetz Road and 1327 Farmington Avenue, were suddenly listed on April 20th 2026, for $3,750,000 for just under 24 acres. Land that sat stagnant for 20+ years is now at the center of a proposed taxpayer-funded purchase. And right on cue, a new “threat” emerges.
Almost immediately after taking office, the Taylor Board began raising alarms about potential data centers coming to Upper Pottsgrove. The problem? There is no clear evidence that any viable site in the Township meets the zoning, infrastructure, or logistical requirements for such a development. In other words, the threat is paranoid at best—and manipulative at worst.
But that didn’t stop the narrative from being pushed. At the April 6th Commissioner meeting, data centers were on the agenda, and the board discussed making zoning moves as quickly as possible in order to prevent data centers. There was no talk of buying up land to prevent data centers. Nothing has been mentioned since, except for now at the most recent board meeting. Was the Taylor Board being proactive on April 6th? Or were they playing the manipulative long game? The Journal has requested all emails between Taylor and the seller to try to find out.
On April 20, 2026, the developer listed the properties and—conveniently—highlighted “data centers” among the potential uses, despite the residential zoning and the years-long approval hurdles such a project would face. Even more suspicious: the listing contract reportedly lasted just three months, an unusually short window that local real estate professionals have questioned. That mention of “data centers” was all it took.
From that point forward, the Taylor Board repeatedly invoked the need to “protect the Township,” using a highly unlikely scenario to manufacture urgency and justify spending millions in public funds. The messaging was clear: act now, or face an undefined but ominous consequence. Then came the August 3, 2026 meeting.
The Taylor Board appeared ready to approve the purchase—until residents pushed back. Faced with public scrutiny, the justification escalated. Commissioner Leach warned of large-scale development, including data centers, portraying the purchase as a defensive move to prevent overdevelopment. This, from the board, which had just pushed through a 119-home development, one that was 400% more dense than what was permitted under current zoning, with no meaningful public notice or engagement just last month. The contradictions didn’t stop there.
During the same meeting, President Leach acknowledged that the property may have TCE contamination concerns. Commissioner Taylor dismissed that issue, stating the land could still be developed by the township even if contaminated. It’s not even clear if the site has any environmental issues, yet he brought that up for some reason. At the same time, the property is being floated as a potential site for municipal buildings—despite previously being studied and rejected due to site constraints and cost concerns.
So, the public is being asked to believe all of the following at once:
- The land is under imminent threat of inappropriate development
- The same land is suitable for municipal use
- Contamination is not a barrier to any sort of development.
- And spending millions of taxpayer dollars for a parcel of land with no viable reason is somehow the fiscally responsible choice
It doesn’t add up. But what does add up is a pattern: create a sense of urgency, introduce a fear-based narrative, and steer taxpayers toward purchasing land from a long-time acquaintance of Commissioner Taylor at a premium. This isn’t proactive planning. It’s manipulation and gaslighting.
And the most revealing moment came straight from Commissioner Taylor himself at the August 3 meeting: “Developers represent the interest of the residents.” That wasn’t a slip. It was a statement definitive of his priorities.
Because if that is the mindset guiding these decisions, then taxpayers are not the priority—they are the funding mechanism for Taylor’s agenda. The purchase of the property is on the August 17th agenda, and residents should be asking hard questions. Why this land? Why now? And why does every road seem to lead back to benefiting the same developer—again, at taxpayer expense?
Upper Pottsgrove deserves transparency, accountability, and leadership that puts residents first. We deserve a board that represents us, said one resident! What we are getting instead is a coordinated effort to manufacture a crisis and sell a solution that costs millions of our dollars.