Tuberville Inches Away from Data Centers in Column Calling for More Local Input

Perhaps reading the tea leaves of bipartisan concern and, in some places, outright anger over the rapid spread of data centers in Alabama, Republican gubernatorial nominee Tommy Tuberville is adapting a more voter-oriented tactic to his support for the massive structures.

All In on Data Centers

Tuberville's approach has been as an aggressive supporter of the noisy, resource-guzzling high-tech centers. He dismissed concerns over the hyperscale facilities as being voiced by people falling for propaganda spread by Communist China in an effort to undermine United States security, technology and economy.

The one-term U.S. senator argued that Alabama must rapidly expand data center construction to stay competitive in the national artificial intelligence race. He repeatedly stated that data centers are inevitable and critical.

"I think there's 27 states that have already said, 'Oh, we're not going to build data centers. We're not going to do that. It makes too much noise. It's going to ruin the climate.' Bull crap," Tuberville told the Alabama Sheriff's Association annual conference in July. "We're going to do data centers....We're not the richest state in the country, but I'm telling you we're fixing to make a big move on it."

A few weeks later, Tuberville's campaign took a $25,000 donation from Applied Digital, a Texas developer that holds an ADEM permit to build a 2 million-square-foot data center in Brookwood here in Tuscaloosa County.

Voter Concern Gains Traction

Tuberville's Democratic opponent, Doug Jones, from day one voiced support for a one-year moratorium on data center development to allow for study on the best way to approach their development. That proposal gained some political traction.

Polling shows Alabamians are deeply divided and often skeptical about data-center development.

A Bham Now statewide audience poll of 492 respondents found 70% of Alabamians either want data centers regulated or oppose them outright. That aligns with similar national polls.

Reading the Public

A few months after his July comments pledging to support data centers, Tuberville has watched community after community, including Brookwood, hold town halls to voice objections. Opponents have complained about big-tech bullying, nondisclosure agreements, lack of transparency, and the massive energy consumption that increases residential energy bills and lowers property values.

Tuberville still supports data center development but now takes a more conciliatory approach. He acknowledges Alabamians' fears about rising power bills and says Alabama communities have been too generous with hyperscale data-center tax abatements. He urges Alabama Power to freeze rates and data center developers to be held accountable and to be more transparent.

In an opinion piece titled "My Game Plan for Data Centers," published in the Alabama Political Reporter on Wednesday, Tuberville promised that, as governor, he would work to give communities the power to reject data centers and place them in the state's highest property tax bracket.

"Think about this. A $12 billion data center project, assessed in the highest tax bracket, with no abatements and taxed at Alabama's average combined millage rate, would generate more than $150 million in property taxes its first year," he wrote. "Here's my message to data centers: If you want to use our resources, you pay full taxes, cover the total cost of your energy, and replace what you take. We'll welcome you with open arms, but keep your hands out of our pockets."

Tuberville still backs data center development but is taking a different tack from July, urging communities and the state to stop giving everything away. His campaign has just begun running political advertisements. It will be interesting to see how much of his budget will go to the data center "Texas Two-Step."