Having 3 Degrees Doesn't Make Me "Not Smart" for Questioning Data Centers

I like to think I’m a pretty smart person. I have three college degrees, which taught me how to write clearly, look at money issues, and understand how people feel in a room.  

So imagine my surprise when President Trump recently called people like me "not smart" just because we aren't begging for huge AI data centers in Russell Township.  

The message from Washington seems to be: don't fight these giant computer warehouses, just let them happen. But if you take a closer look at the actual math and how it affects our town, asking questions isn't foolish—it's common sense.

1. Let’s Look at the Money

People who support data centers talk about how much money tech companies bring in. But big profits for giant tech companies don't always mean good things for local towns.

• Very Few Jobs: Building a data center creates short-term construction jobs. But once it's built, a massive facility only needs a few dozen people to run it.

• Higher Utility Bills: Data centers use huge amounts of electricity and water. That extra demand can drive up electric and water bills for regular families.

• Empty Promises: Tech companies often promise to protect local residents from rising costs, but those promises aren't always legally binding.

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  The Associated Press

  
  

2. Protecting Our Town

People choose to live in Russell Township because of the green space, quiet neighborhoods, and peaceful atmosphere. Bringing in miles of noisy, humming computer warehouses permanently changes the feel of our community.

Wanting to protect our quiet neighborhoods and local resources isn't being uneducated. It’s called looking out for our home.

The Bottom Line

Calling people "smart" only when they agree to build giant industrial plants in their backyards isn't fair. Being truly smart means asking tough questions, protecting local families from higher bills, and caring about our town's future.

If standing up for our community makes us "not smart" to people in Washington or Columbus, I’m perfectly okay with that label.  

To hear the President's full speech about local towns and data centers, you can watch Donald Trump's Remarks on Community Data Centers.