JB Smiley on data center debate, trolleys

Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley Jr. is pushing for a year-long data center moratorium in Memphis, set to be presented to the City Council. The proposal comes amidst growing concerns over the environmental impact of data centers, their strain on local utilities like MLGW's electricity and water infrastructure, and the perceived lack of equitable tax benefits for the city.

Smiley highlighted examples of other cities and states, from New York to Nashville and Searcy, Arkansas, that have recently paused data center developments. He argues that current operations, particularly from companies like SpaceX and xAI, show a "complete disregard" for affected communities and elected officials, citing a discrepancy between the companies' alleged monthly revenue and the annual property taxes received by Memphis.

The proposed ordinance would also establish a study group to identify best practices for data center integration. Smiley emphasized the need for community engagement and transparency, noting that the council often learns about new data center openings through the news rather than direct communication. He believes a pause is crucial to ensure Memphis can genuinely benefit from these facilities without suffering negative environmental or social consequences, particularly in marginalized communities like Whitehaven.

Despite pushback from some business entities, Smiley asserts that the value of residents' lives outweighs economic arguments, advocating for proper regulations to govern data center operations. He anticipates strong support for the ordinance within the City Council.