LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A Lubbock advocacy group submitted a petition Monday requesting an 18-month moratorium on large artificial intelligence data centers within city limits.<\/p>\n
The group, \u201cCitizens of Lubbock Against Data Centers,\u201d operating under the name \u201cSave Lubbock,\u201d delivered the petition to the city secretary\u2019s office. Organizer Stephen Sanders said the group surpassed the required 2,410 signatures, collecting more than 3,000.<\/p>\n
Sanders said the effort goes beyond protecting city resources \u2014 it is about transparency in local government. He says the city\u2019s prior efforts to get public feedback on data centers weren\u2019t in good faith.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that was just a show to make sure they could say that we had a meeting, but that meeting, things had already been done prior to that meeting, and they were just trying to save face, which is not honest,\u201d Sanders said.<\/p>\n
Sanders also framed the petition drive as a call for civic accountability.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, we want to always do things peacefully. There\u2019s no reason to hurt, burn, do any of that kind of stuff. But it is important that we make sure our voices are heard and accountability is not an attack,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cWe just have to make sure that we hold our city council, commissioners, everybody accountable because if it were us, they would be holding us accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sanders said the coalition behind the petition represents an unusual degree of political unity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the first time that I\u2019ve seen Democrats and Republicans or libertarians, whoever, stand together since 9\/11,\u201d Sanders said. \u201cIt\u2019s been really good to see people working together, standing together for one cause, and that is to protect our city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mayor Mark McBrayer was present when the petition was submitted. He said elected officials are obligated to respond to the process.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never would complain about people taking advantage of the political process. That\u2019s why it\u2019s there,\u201d McBrayer said. \u201cIf people think it\u2019s a burden on us to deal with it, it\u2019s a burden the Constitution puts on us to deal with. And so we will follow that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city secretary must first verify that each signature belongs to a registered voter residing in Lubbock. If validated in time, the measure will go before city council at its next regular meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 2 p.m. at Citizens Tower.<\/p>\n
If the council votes it down, the measure could go before voters in November. McBrayer said the timeline depends on several factors.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it goes to the voters, we have to have an agreement on the language for it. So that takes a certain amount of time. And then it\u2019ll get put on the next available general election date,\u201d McBrayer said. \u201cIt has to be on a general election date, which we only have them in May and in November. And so, I can\u2019t guarantee which one that would be on because there\u2019s a time frame for all of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sanders said the group is already focused on what follows; he was discussing how the group could encourage people to show up to vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this is starting a new era for Lubbock. Once people see that their voices matter and that their votes count, they\u2019ll continue to show up for other things that are going to be coming up down the line,\u201d Sanders said.<\/p>\n
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