Kevin Wolff is right that data centers are part of modern infrastructure, but that does not mean San Antonio should treat rapid data center growth as self-justifying.
The commentary’s central flaw is that it equates oversight with fear. The real issue is not whether data centers matter. They do. The issue is whether they pay the full cost of the power, water, transmission, recycled water expansion, land-use conflicts and neighborhood impacts they create.
Some of the article’s numbers also need caution. Industry-backed fiscal-impact estimates are not the same as an independent public cost-benefit analysis.
Statewide water-use percentages do not answer questions regarding local drought and infrastructure capacity. And CPS Energy’s materials suggest that cost allocation for large-load customers is still being studied, not settled. Those indicate something quite different: Yes, large loads are about 9% of electric system sales, but commercial customers overall account for 56% of sales.
San Antonio can welcome data centers and still require firm rules.
That is not anti-technology. It is basic diligence, which is something our city government historically has not been particularly good at when public dollars are at stake.
One key metric, governance and foresight, is rated “below average” because city leaders still use their dated, limited, narrow urban planning model, rather than other viable socioeconomic frameworks.
Recall San Antonio having “the best city manager in the country” for 13 years, only to fall backward in national rankings. Today, San Antonio ranks No. 3 in poverty, impoverishment and economic segregation.
Where is that watchdog-press reporting? Civic success is based on gross domestic product metrics and AAA bond ratings. Each council member has their own vision for San Antonio, yet the city already has its formal, adopted long-term vision, which no one examines.
Are you paying attention?
Now the Trump administration wants the American taxpayers to fork over $1 billion of our tax dollars for ballroom security purposes — the ballroom that Trump promised would be paid for through donations.
How many meals to seniors would that serve? How many homeless veterans could be housed? How many children could get school lunches? How many people could receive at least a portion of their health care needs?
I would rather my hard-earned dollars be used for something else.