Get to know about Lubbock mayoral candidate Mark McBrayer, his platforms

In the ongoing Lubbock municipal election, mayoral candidate Mark McBrayer detailed his platform concerning data center development, following the rejection and withdrawal of a hyperscale data center proposal in northeast Lubbock. The developer has indicated plans to resubmit the project to the city. McBrayer, the current mayor, expressed that he and the city council maintain a "very cautious" stance on data centers, actively studying their impacts on other cities. He outlined five specific criteria for any potential data center approval: projects must demonstrate low water consumption (favoring recirculation or air cooling), generate some or all of their energy needs on-site, be located away from residential areas with sufficient sound buffers, refrain from seeking significant tax abatements, and not be speculative builds without an identified occupant. Addressing concerns raised by critics regarding the long-term revenue potential of land zoned for residential and commercial use versus data centers, McBrayer acknowledged that data centers offer few new jobs but can provide substantial property taxes. He reiterated his opposition to data centers near existing or future residential areas, emphasizing a careful vetting process to avoid issues faced by other cities that "rushed into agreements." Other topics in the questionnaire included city budget constraints, public safety staffing, and quality of life investments.