Property taxes, data centers, affordability: the Democrat trying to flip TX-138 breaks it all down
Democratic nominee Tyler Smith for Texas House District 138 criticizes current state policies, including tax credits, that he says fund data centers. He argues that these data centers are depleting water and energy resources and contributing to rising property taxes, making life less affordable for Texans.
Tyler Smith, the Democratic nominee for Texas House District 138, addressed key issues for the upcoming November election, with affordability being his primary concern. Smith argued that property taxes continue to skyrocket due to the state's failure to adequately fund essential services, despite Texas having the eighth-largest economy globally. He highlighted that Texas ranks 50th in the United States for access to healthcare, which he believes further burdens residents and makes daily life more expensive.
Smith specifically criticized Governor Greg Abbott and the state legislature, including his opponent, for passing tax credits that he claims are funding data centers across Texas. According to Smith, these data centers are consuming vital water and energy resources, exacerbating affordability issues and negatively impacting Texans. He cited instances like farmers being priced out of their land and the water crisis in Corpus Christi as direct consequences of these policies, asserting that data centers are "stripping us dry of water" and "stripping us dry of energy and resources."
Smith's district covers areas including Jersey Village, Cy-Fair, Fairbanks-White Oak, and communities along 290 and FM 1960 in Northwest Houston, where these issues are particularly resonant.