Washington Examiner columnist Joe Concha criticized Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) for the one-year ban on data center construction she implemented in the state and said New York is going to continue to fall behind.
“There’s literally almost no downside to having these data centers in New York,” Concha said on Fox Business’s The Evening Edit on Thursday.
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Hochul on Tuesday said that “as data center development threatens to hike up utility bills, deplete our natural resources, and create uncertainty for New Yorkers, it’s my responsibility to take action and lead.”
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said he won’t follow a similar ban in Virginia, which has become a growing hub for data centers.
“I won’t support the moratorium in Virginia, but I don’t feel a need to comment on New York politics. I mean, if anything, states doing moratoriums might make Virginia more attractive. Again, I think the way Virginia is approaching it makes sense,” Kaine said on Wednesday during an interview at Capitol Hill.
President Donald Trump also called out Hochul for the ban, posting on Truth Social saying, “Both the Taxes and the Jobs amount to LIQUID GOLD! New York State has made a terrible decision.”
“New York should change its Policy, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump added.
Concha said data centers can actually help reduce high electricity costs and that the jobs and tax revenue they generate can help drive state growth.
“Other states will welcome them, give them incentives, and New York will continue to lose out on tax revenue,” Concha said.
HERE ARE THE STATES AND CITIES PUSHING BACK AGAINST DATA CENTERS
Concha said companies are investing in AI because “this is the next big bubble.”
“It’s just such a shame because New York was such a great state to start a business in decades ago, and now it’s the last place you want to do it, outside of California.”
