Staff Reports
Taylor Budowich, founder of Innovation Council Action, made a sharp point this week at Breitbart’s “AI Is Here: What to Fear, What to Embrace” event: AI data centers shouldn’t be a luxury for tech companies at the expense of ordinary Americans. His message was simple and conservative — put good policy first so good politics will follow. If a project doesn’t clearly benefit the community, it shouldn’t be built.
Budowich’s warning: data centers must “feed” communities, not drain them
At the Breitbart event, Budowich told moderator Matthew Boyle that “these data centers… shouldn’t be draining our community, they should be feeding our communities,” and argued that “not a single shovel should go in the ground… if there’s a data center that’s taking from the community.” That’s razor‑sharp and right to the point. Conservatives have long warned against deals that privatize profit and socialize costs — in this case, higher electric bills, stressed water systems, and stretched infrastructure — while glossy press releases take the credit.
Policy action is already happening — and it should accelerate
States are not waiting for regulators to twiddle their thumbs. Oregon, for example, has moved to create separate rate classes and make big power users pay more of the grid upgrade costs so ordinary ratepayers aren’t left holding the bag. That’s exactly the kind of common‑sense reform Budowich was urging. If data centers are going to require massive new transmission and local upgrades, then those costs should be borne by the projects that benefit, not by moms and small businesses on the utility bills.
Quincy shows the upside — and anecdotes need checking
Budowich rightly pointed to Quincy, Washington, as a success story where data‑center revenue rebuilt schools, hospitals, and local services. Quincy is often cited as proof that tech investment can revive struggling towns when deals are structured to deliver real community benefits. On the other hand, not every anecdote he used checks out: his mention of a Louisiana data center cutting $50,000 checks to teachers could not be independently verified. That doesn’t undercut the larger point, but it does mean advocates should be careful about trading in unconfirmed stories when pushing policy.
What conservatives should demand next
Conservatives who care about economic growth and local communities should get behind a simple set of rules: require community‑benefit agreements, force developers to pay their fair share of grid and water upgrades, and give local voters a meaningful say before permits are issued. Good policy makes good politics — and a smart conservative message is that investment is welcome, but only if it’s honest and accountable. If the tech industry wants a seat at the American table, it must stop acting like an entitled guest raiding the pantry and start paying the bill.
