(LANSING) - Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Leonard is calling for a one-year moratorium on new data centers in Michigan and is urging lawmakers to repeal tax incentives he says are driving up costs for residents. Speaking out this week, the former state House speaker argued that families are "literally paying the price for corporate land grabs" and should not be forced to subsidize large-scale data center projects while facing higher utility and living expenses.
Leonard said the current system favors corporate insiders and amounts to a "rigged game" that benefits developers at the expense of everyday residents, calling the tax breaks wrong and "insulting." His comments come as lawmakers in the Michigan State House consider several bipartisan bills aimed at repealing data center tax incentives.
The issue has gained traction at the Capitol in Lansing amid growing debate over the rapid expansion of data centers, their energy demands, and their impact on local communities. Leonard's proposal would temporarily halt new projects while legislators revisit the state's approach to regulating and incentivizing the industry.