Wayne County commissioners voted 13-0 to override their own executive's veto and hand tax breaks to Google — a company worth nearly $2 trillion — for a data center that will drain enough electricity to power 750,000 homes and suck up to 3.6 million gallons of water a day.

The unanimous override kills the only check on a rushed deal that County Executive Warren Evans warned was pressed by Google on a roughly two-week deadline. Evans vetoed the tax abatements on Sept. 25, arguing the process lacked sufficient public participation and independent analysis. "Google pressed Wayne County to act within approximately two weeks on a proposal with potentially long-term consequences for residents, local government, infrastructure, water and energy resources, the environment, and County finances," Evans said. "Wayne County should establish its own timetable for protecting the public interest. It should not allow a private corporation to create urgency and then use that urgency to force a decision."

The commission wasn't interested in the warning. Commissioner Allen Wilson, whose district includes the Van Buren Township site, admitted he previously voted against the project but announced a "change of heart" after receiving more information. Wilson did not specify what information changed his mind, according to CBS News. Commissioner Monica Baker McCormick initially suggested gathering community input, then pivoted: "Because you are the boots on the ground, you're the commissioner in the area. If you support it, I support it."

So much for checks and balances. Two commissioners were absent; zero voted no.

The 230-acre project, dubbed "Project Cannoli" before Google was named in March, would place three data center buildings near Haggerty Road and Interstate 94. M Live reported the facility requires 1 gigawatt of electricity — roughly the demand of 750,000 homes. When fully operational, it would purchase between 2 million and 3.6 million gallons of water from the township daily.

The Michigan Public Service Commission simultaneously approved DTE Energy's contract to power the facility, imposing conditions meant to prevent residential ratepayers from footing the bill. Google must cover at least 80% of its contracted power demand regardless of actual use, fund up to 1,600 megawatts of renewable energy and 480 megawatts of battery storage, and pay up to $2.5 billion in termination fees if it walks away. DTE must accept the conditions in writing within 30 days.

Commission Chair Dan Scripps made the plain observation that corporate America's favorite subsidy recipient can afford its own bills: "Google is one of the biggest, best capitalized and most profitable companies on the planet. Google can pay its own energy bills."

Which raises the question neither outlet explored: if Google can pay its own bills, why does it need tax abatements at all? And what did Google or its lobbyists tell Commissioner Wilson to produce that change of heart?

Evans released a statement after the override calling it a day for checks and balances. "Now, we as a County must come together and make it work," he said. Translation: the deal is done, and the people who live there will live with the consequences — the water draw, the grid strain, and the precedent that a trillion-dollar company can set the clock and local officials will comply.

The question that lingers is who profits from the urgency. Google gets the tax break. DTE gets a 20-year contract. The commissioners get to say they brought jobs. Working-class Michiganders get to pay full freight while the most profitable company on earth gets a discount.