Texans Feel AI-Moed

Tom Green County residents are already facing the force of federal incentives and state of Texas subsidies luring hyperscale data centers to our area.  The imbalance may become greater if the federal government takes equity stakes in the major AI companies.

Four data centers are considering locating here, one in San Angelo proper and the other three in the county.  The Texas Tribune reported that nearly half of the 248 planned data centers will be outside of cities, in unincorporated areas.  

People in our area remember the shale boom.   The Carlyle Group's Jeff Currie compared the two in their voracious need for capital.  Abilene's experience with Lancium -"Stargate" is an amplified echo of our experience in the shale boom with rising rents, absurdly expensive hotel rooms and dangerous road conditions.  Many new workers arrived with their addictions and large dog breeds.  

That is our future if the State of Texas via ERCOT deems a project worthy of power and the Lords of Capital provide the necessary funding.  

Irion County Commissioners have two items on their upcoming agenda for June 9th at 9:00am:

6.  Options for having input on both public and private industrial/technological development within the county (Executive/Closed Session)

7.  Tax abatement agreements for economic development within Irion County (Executive/Closed Session)

"Data centers have become shockingly unpopular" is one recent headline and Texans have virtually no say as to whether they can come, where they can locate or how much local resources they can usurp.

That means a name change....and the TechGods offer "AI Factories."  Same thing, just slightly more attuned to economic development.  It also fits better with their desire to charge a piece rate for each AI product that comes off the factory floor.  TechGods have all the momentum with their control of state and federal government.

Responses vary across the country.  One mayor insulted data center opponents for the look of their homes.  The State of Ohio suspended giant tax breaks for data centers to evaluate their actual impact.

There is a very short window for federal and state elected officials to intervene and allow communities to strike more of a balance.  An AI equity stake by Uncle Sam is decidedly counter to that.  

So it should not be surprising that many Texans feel trapped in an AI-MO that is running us into a dangerous construction zone at high speed.  Let us out so we can never do this again.  Please.