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Data center development in Wisconsin has become a major political and public issue, with reporter Tom Kertscher of Wisconsin Watch providing weekly updates on the topic. Public opposition is widespread, highlighted by a recent Wisconsin Conservation Voters poll showing 70% of registered voters believe data center costs outweigh their benefits, a sentiment echoed by a Marquette Law School poll. In Port Washington, voters approved a referendum making large-scale developments more difficult by requiring public approval for tax incremental finance districts over $10 million, effectively challenging a $175 million TIF district created for a $15 billion data center already under construction. This referendum is now the subject of a business-backed lawsuit aiming to block its implementation. Elsewhere, Beaver Dam approved a second, smaller $40 million data center, while in Menomonie, Matthew Crowe, a vocal opponent of a proposed data center, unseated the incumbent mayor, citing a lack of transparency regarding the project. Controversy also surrounds the use of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) by local governments. A resolution prohibiting such agreements was voted down by a Rock County Board committee, and the county, along with the Town of Beloit and Janesville, has signed NDAs with developers like Cambrin LLC and Viridian Acquisitions. The Wisconsin Legislature recently concluded its session without approving bills that would have prohibited these secret deals. Electricity concerns are a consistent theme, with unnamed Wisconsin companies forming a coalition to request a federal agency pause competitive bidding for electrical transmission projects. The city manager of Janesville emphasized the need for statewide legislation to ensure data centers pay 100% of their infrastructure costs. Utility provider Alliant Energy's stock price has surged, reportedly due to the influx of data centers in the Midwest. Additionally, the proposed $8 billion data center in Janesville is unique in its plan to finance a $30 million cleanup of a contaminated former General Motors plant site.