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Gina Hinojosa challenges Greg Abbott’s data center policies during Dallas press conference
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa joined North Texas residents in Dallas to critique data center expansion and call for strict legislative guardrails.
DALLAS - Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, discussed her stance on data centers during a press conference in Dallas on Tuesday.
What they're saying:
Hinojosa said she believes Texans should "have a seat at the table" when it comes to deciding whether there are data centers in their communities, and called for lawmakers to pass legislation putting more protections in place.
She also took aim at her opponent, Gov. Greg Abbott’s attitude toward AI data center development by criticizing the rapid expansion in the state and blaming it on tax breaks and other incentives.
"There's no protections for people to have a seat at the table to decide if and how they come into their communities. There is no protection for water or electricity costs," Hinojosa said. "We are left to fend for ourselves under Greg Abbott, and people are big mad in Texas about the data centers."
Abbott pauses data center permits, calls for more regulations
The other side:
Abbott, who previously welcomed the artificial intelligence industry, appears to have shifted his stance. The governor ordered a pause on some data center approvals in August, and a month earlier said he wants to ban data center development in rural Texas neighborhoods.
"We must prohibit them from building AI data centers in rural Texas neighborhoods, and we must eliminate the tax break they are getting," Abbott said during a campaign stop in Bullard. "They must be responsible for funding their own projects here in Texas."
Hinojosa echoed a need for a moratorium, but said she believes her opponent's pause on data center development is "in name only."
Talarico vs. Paxton: Different plans for Texas’ data center boom
Data centers have become a major talking point as their growth continues to expand across Texas, sparking debate surrounding who should have the final say in their regulation and what should be regulated.
"I could issue a moratorium, but it would be in place until laws are passed to accomplish those things," Hinojosa said, referring to her calls for more guardrails and stricter protections.
Abbott's office has previously emphasized his willingness to work with lawmakers, pointing to a letter the governor sent to the Public Utilities Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas in June. The letter laid out some of his ideas, which included having the legislature repeal sales tax exemptions.
Data centers remain a major topic of debate in Texas
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Data centers impact on North Texas | Dallas News Live
Steven Dial talks to an SMU computer science associate professor on what data centers are and how they impact communities.
Big picture view:
Data centers have been a major topic of debate in the state, which has seen hundreds spring up in recent years. The concerns of local leaders and residents mainly center around noise, light and water pollution.
A resident of the Joppa community who spoke Tuesday also shared concerns with locals being included in discussions, saying she did not know a data center was being built in her neighborhood until it was already there.
"We do not want one," she said. "However, it is now up and running, and we are faced with the challenge of having the data center less than 0.3 miles, 1,500 feet -- not 15 miles, but 1,500 feet – from our community."
The Source: The information in this article comes from a press conference held by Democratic gubernatorial nominee Gina Hinojosa in Dallas, as well as previous reporting on data centers.