Hinojosa ad ties Abbott to taxes and data centers. We checked | ENOUGH
KPRC 2 fact-checks a Gina Hinojosa campaign ad linking Gov. Greg Abbott to Texas’ growth as an artificial intelligence data-center hub and to data-center tax incentives. The station found that Abbott has promoted Texas for AI development and that state law provides sales-tax exemptions for qualifying data centers, but said the ad’s claim about an 85% increase in property taxes lacks important context because local governments set those taxes.
KPRC 2 examined claims in Gina Hinojosa’s campaign advertising against Gov. Greg Abbott in the Texas governor’s race. The ad credits Abbott with making Texas an AI data-center hub and criticizes tax breaks available to the industry. The station found evidence that Abbott has promoted Texas as a destination for AI and data-center investment, including statements tied to Google’s planned $40 billion Texas investment and comments describing the state as an AI development epicenter.
The report also confirmed that Texas law includes tax benefits for qualifying data centers. A 2013 law provided sales-tax exemptions for items including certain equipment and electricity, while a 2015 expansion applied to larger projects. However, KPRC 2 said the ad’s claim that property taxes rose 85% under Abbott is misleading without additional context because property taxes are set by cities, counties and school districts rather than directly by the governor.