Ohio Voters Debate Control Over Data Center Development

In an opinion piece for the Dayton Daily News, Thomas Suddes argues that Ohio's long-standing tradition of community home rule empowers voters to limit or ban data centers within their localities. While home rule officially applies to cities and villages, Suddes suggests its principles extend to townships and counties, enabling local residents to control land use, much like their historical ability to regulate alcohol sales. The article highlights concerns that data centers, often described as "kilowatt-glutton tentacles of Big Data," consume vast amounts of power and water, potentially spoiling irreplaceable land and contributing to pollution. Suddes questions why Ohioans should risk their land for the benefit of "coastal fat-cats" and speculates on the possibility of data centers claiming private property through eminent domain or even installing small nuclear power plants. He notes that while data centers provide some construction jobs, their operational crews are minimal, offering little in the way of sustained employment for rank-and-file Ohioans. Suddes urges residents to inquire about their state legislators' stance on local control over data center development, warning that without it, Ohio risks becoming a "Tomorrow Land of blight" controlled by out-of-state speculators. He concludes by stating that if an anti-data-center proposal reaches the statewide ballot, it could become a national story due to similar concerns held by landowners across the country.