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A construction crew works on cable buses for a new DataBank campus in Red Oak, May 12. Texas workers in construction outpaced all but one industry in growth over the last year, according to the labor bureau.<\/p>\n
Angela Piazza \/ The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
Data centers<\/p>\n
Regarding \u201cGreg Abbott calls for prohibition on data centers in rural Texas<\/a>,\u201d (June 30): Just a few months ago, Gov. Greg Abbott was Texas\u2019 biggest data center cheerleader. Standing alongside Google\u2019s CEO in November 2025, he celebrated<\/a> a $40 billion investment and declared Texas \u201cthe epicenter of AI development.\u201d State officials had handed the industry over\u00a0$1 billion<\/a> in annual tax breaks\u2014and Abbott couldn\u2019t have been more thrilled.<\/p>\n Fast forward to this summer, and the governor has executed one of the most brazen political about-faces in recent memory.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n On June 10, Abbott suddenly demanded<\/a> lawmakers \u201crepeal sales tax exemptions and other outdated or unnecessary incentives for data centers\u201d\u2014the very breaks his administration helped create. Then, on June 30, he went further, calling for a ban on AI data centers in rural Texas neighborhoods.<\/p>\n \u201cWe must eliminate the tax break they are getting,\u201d Abbott declared. Never mind that his own policies lured them here in the first place.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t principled leadership \u2014 it\u2019s political survival. With reelection looming and bipartisan backlash against data centers boiling over, Abbott is scrambling to distance himself from an industry he once embraced. His campaign spokesperson insists this \u201ctracks with his June 10th letter,\u201d but that\u2019s spin. The man who once dangled tax exemptions like candy now rails against them as if he had nothing to do with it.<\/p>\n Texans deserve a governor with convictions, not a weathervane spinning with every political breeze.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Jobs of the future<\/p>\n Regarding \u201cHouston among four pilot cities for new Meta training jobs program<\/a>,\u201d (June 8): As a small business owner in the technology sector, I spend a lot of time thinking about the future workforce.<\/p>\n Much of the conversation around artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers tends to focus on the buildings themselves \u2014 the space they occupy, the electricity they consume and the resources they require. Those are important discussions. But the future of AI is about more than infrastructure. It’s about people \u2014 the next generation of workers who will build, maintain and power the technologies shaping our future.<\/p>\n The AI economy creates opportunities not only for software developers and technology professionals, but also for small businesses, skilled trades and blue-collar workers. Data centers require electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, construction workers, security professionals and countless other skilled workers to build and operate.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The demand is substantial. Industry estimates<\/a> suggest more than 300,000 skilled workers will be needed to support AI infrastructure development across America.<\/p>\n For Houston, that means real opportunities for workers, families and local businesses. It means more jobs, more economic activity and more pathways into rewarding careers that don’t necessarily require a four-year degree.<\/p>\n That’s why programs like the new Workforce Academy are so encouraging. Free training and guaranteed job opportunities are exactly the kind of investments that help Texans develop in-demand skills while strengthening our workforce.<\/p>\n Texas has always succeeded by embracing innovation while creating opportunities for hardworking people. As the AI economy continues to grow, we should welcome data center investments that create lasting careers and help more Texans participate in the future we’re building.<\/p>\n Massey Villarreal, CEO and President of Precision Task Group<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Birthright citizenship<\/p>\n