Nevada Congressional Candidate Teresa Benitez-Thompson Reverses Stance on Data Center Tax Breaks Amid Local Opposition
Nevada congressional candidate Teresa Benitez-Thompson is now campaigning against data center tax abatements, despite previously supporting them and receiving industry contributions. Her change of heart aligns with growing opposition in Northern Nevada over water and power concerns, including an enacted moratorium in Reno. The state's tax incentive program has resulted in hundreds of millions in approved abatements for major tech companies.
Nevada Democrat congressional candidate Teresa Benitez-Thompson has shifted her public stance on data center tax abatements, now criticizing them as "sweetheart deals" after years of supporting such legislation and receiving significant campaign contributions from the industry. According to campaign finance records reviewed by The Nevada Globe, Benitez-Thompson received at least $45,300 in state and federal contributions from data center operators, utilities, telecommunications companies, and related firms, including $5,000 from Switch and $16,000 from NV Energy and Nevada Power.
Benitez-Thompson voted in favor of Senate Bill 170 in 2015, which established a statewide program granting partial property and sales tax abatements to qualifying data centers, offering benefits for years and up to 75% personal property tax abatements. She also supported similar legislation in 2013. The Nevada Independent reported that the state has approved an estimated $457 million in cumulative abatements for projects involving companies like Google and Apple, leading to a gross reduction of $537 million in local sales and use taxes between fiscal years 2017 and 2025.
Her reversal comes as data centers face increasing political opposition in Northern Nevada, driven by concerns over water scarcity, power demands, and rapid growth. Benitez-Thompson now states she "firmly supports" Reno's moratorium on data centers and advocates for ending the industry's tax breaks, acknowledging her previous votes but asserting that the companies have since "overperformed" the original intent of the incentives.