Florida gubernatorial candidates debate data center development, property tax reform

The proposed construction of data centers has become a contentious issue in Florida's governor race, with candidates presenting varied approaches to their development. A recent Reuters-Ipsos poll indicates that only one-in-three Americans approve of the current pace of data center construction, with opponents citing environmental concerns.

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins advocates for state-level "guardrails" rather than an outright ban, proposing conditions such as no tax breaks, free water, or free electricity, and demanding transparency over NDAs. In contrast, James Fishback has taken a strong anti-data center stance, pledging to revoke county commissions' authority to approve data centers statewide if elected. Paul Renner suggests a statewide moratorium on hyperscale data centers, preferring other states to experiment with the technology first. Front-runner Byron Donalds believes newer data centers can be built efficiently while protecting the environment and Floridians' finances, though he has faced scrutiny over a $10,000 campaign donation from Fort Meade LLC, a company behind an approved data center in that city.

This debate follows New York State's recent enactment of a one-year ban on new hyperscaler data centers consuming 50 megawatts or more, making it the first statewide data center ban in the U.S. The article also touches upon a proposed property tax reduction in Florida, which state lawmakers are considering, despite economist estimates that it could lead to local governments losing nearly $12 billion annually within six years.