Wisconsin Town Goes To Polls Today To Hobble Future Data Centers
A small Wisconsin city upended by a data center backed by Trump is set to vote today on a referendum that could reshape resistance to AI projects nationwide.
The vote in Port Washington, a lakeside town of roughly 12,000 people just north of Milwaukee, appears to be the first time any U.S. municipality will go to the ballot to kneecap data center development. It marks an aggressive new tactic in an escalating movement to oppose the hulking artificial intelligence factories — and offers a potential blueprint for other small towns challenging Big Tech.
“I’m not aware of another ballot referendum that has been taken directly to the voters yet,” said Brad Tietz, state policy director for the Data Center Coalition, which represents tech companies and developers. “If this trend continues and grows, it’s going to have significant consequences for our economic competitiveness [and] our national security. I don’t think that can be understated.”
Oh darn. You mean the local pollution and rising utility costs in service of the broligarchy's AI Ponzi scheme will be rejected by the voters? Don't threaten me with a good time, Brad!