New York City Progressive Candidates Support Moratorium on AI Data Centers
Three progressive Democrats who won House primaries in New York City, Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier, and Claire Valdez, have voiced strong support for a moratorium on AI data center construction. They align with a proposed federal bill, the AI Data Center Moratorium Act, citing concerns over water and electricity consumption. This stance is part of their broader economic populist platform, which also includes wealth taxes and a four-day work week.
A slate of progressive Democrats, endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, swept House primaries in New York City, highlighting economic populism as a key voter issue. Brad Lander defeated incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in Manhattan and Brooklyn's 10th District, vowing to prioritize working people over billionaires. Darializa Avila Chevalier won against incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in New York's 13th District, covering upper Manhattan and the Bronx, while Claire Valdez triumphed over Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in New York's 7th District.
Key among their shared policy positions is a call for a moratorium on the construction of AI data centers. Valdez and Chevalier, both democratic socialists, specifically advocate for this pause, citing concerns that data center projects inflate residential water and electricity bills while offering limited job creation. This aligns with the 'AI Data Center Moratorium Act' proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), which seeks to halt development until federal regulations are established. Goldman, Lander's opponent, had also signed onto this federal bill.
The candidates also strongly support wealth taxes, including the Ultra-Millionaire Tax Act proposed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and the Equal Tax Act. Additionally, Chevalier and Valdez advocate for a shift to a 32-hour, four-day work week, a concept they believe would distribute the economic gains of automation to workers. All three also back the PRO Act, a labor law reform measure aimed at easing union formation and strengthening labor contracts.