Dozens of data center projects have been proposed across Central Texas, and how those projects shape the region\u2019s land, economy and water resources will depend on how local leaders plan for their arrival.<\/p>\n
But there is no consensus about what approach to take even among business leaders, Denise Davis, the board chair for the Austin Chamber of Commerce, said at the inaugural KUT Festival on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Davis said the Austin Chamber is still trying to find its footing in the debate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI get that everyone has phones, and the average home has 20 devices, and I get that AI is powering everything, but I also have businesses that need electricity, and I need the grid to be reliable,\u201d Davis said. \u201cSo I think it’s to be determined where the chamber comes down on the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n
Davis was joined on stage by Bradley Dushkin, Round Rock\u2019s director of planning and development services, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra and Carrie D\u2019Anna, a Taylor resident and community organizer.<\/p>\n
Dushkin said data centers have the opportunity to provide cities relief in the form of \u201cginormous\u201d property tax contributions as local politicians struggle to provide community services amid budget constraints<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a need to bring in these high-dollar, revenue generating, non-residential properties into the city so that we can help bring in that money and not have to rely on the property taxes generated by the residential side,\u201d Dushkin said. \u201cHaving those large commercial properties helps us subsidize the tax rate across the city and keep the tax rate low for our residents.\u201d<\/p>\n Dushkin said Round Rock\u2019s budget is already a reflection of how data centers could do the heavy lifting for a city\u2019s bottom line: commercial buildings only make up 8% of taxable properties in Round Rock, yet they generate nearly half of the city\u2019s property tax revenue.<\/p>\n But many worry data centers will suck up too much water and power<\/a> to be worth their property tax contributions.<\/p>\n Becerra said there\u2019s \u201cno good option\u201d for data centers in Hays County, where extreme drought threatens its future water supply<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cSome of these systems are asking for a million gallons [of water] a day,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can want ski slopes in San Marcos, but if we don\u2019t have the snow, it\u2019s not going to do you any good.\u201d<\/p>\n Across Hays and Williamson counties, community activists like D\u2019Anna have effectively ended some data center projects<\/a> over such water and electricity concerns.<\/p>\n D\u2019Anna said she\u2019s noticed data center projects \u201cstrategically\u201d planned out of the public eye. She created a Facebook group<\/a> to keep people informed about the BPP data center<\/a> proposal in Taylor, and with the help of other plugged-in community members, passed out flyers protesting a data center development in Hutto.<\/p>\n D\u2019Anna said people in her neighborhood are \u201cterrified\u201d of how data centers could reshape Taylor.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople who are building data centers, union workers, electricians, they want to sign our petition because they see the value in guidelines,\u201d D\u2019Anna said. \u201cThey love the technology. We don’t like how it’s being capitalized. We don’t like how it’s replacing us.\u201d<\/p>\n