Residents Credited With Stopping Proposed Data Center in Monterey Park
A guest opinion examines the political fight over a proposed data center in Monterey Park and disputes which local leaders deserve credit for stopping it. The article credits residents and the No Data Center Monterey Park group with pressuring the City Council and supporting a permanent ban through an ordinance and ballot measure.
A guest opinion about Monterey Park’s District 5 election argues that activist Steven Kung and the No Data Center Monterey Park group, rather than incumbent Councilmember Vinh Ngo, were primarily responsible for stopping a proposed data center. The authors say residents organized petitions, fundraising, research and canvassing after learning of the project, while the City Council later acknowledged opposition to it.
The article criticizes Ngo’s record, saying he supported a temporary development pause in Saturn Park and later backed data center regulations that the authors believe would have allowed the developer’s existing plans to proceed. It says Ngo subsequently introduced a ballot measure banning data centers, while residents led the campaign that closed loopholes and helped secure Monterey Park’s permanent prohibition.