Rick Jackson shares stance on data centers
Rick Jackson, a GOP gubernatorial candidate in Georgia, expressed opposition to a proposed one-year moratorium on new data center construction statewide. He advocates for empowering individual counties to make their own decisions on data center development, emphasizing the economic opportunities they present. Jackson believes communities need to be educated with facts about the pros and cons of these facilities.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson has voiced his opposition to a proposed one-year moratorium on new data center construction across Georgia. Speaking on 11Alive, Jackson emphasized that each community should maintain control over such developments, rather than a statewide ban.
Jackson differentiated modern AI data centers from traditional ones, noting that AI centers primarily require fiber optic connections and can be located in remote areas, offering unique opportunities. He stated his intention to negotiate deals where all economic benefits, such as property tax reductions, would go directly to the counties, allowing local governments to vote on these proposals.
The candidate stressed the importance of educating the public with facts, not fiction, regarding the advantages and disadvantages of data centers. He asserted that imposing a blanket moratorium would be "crazy" and that his approach aims to create economic opportunities for Georgia's counties through local decision-making.