I want to start by acknowledging something important.

One Leon County commissioner (TJ Foley) has already come out publicly and said:

  • He is against the data center coming here
  • He is not in favor of granting a tax abatement
  • But if the company were to build anyway and later request an abatement, he would reconsider in order to do what’s best for the county

That kind of clarity matters. Whether people agree with him or not, it shows leadership.

What I’m struggling with right now is that the rest of our county leadership — including the County Judge — has not spoken with that same level of clarity or unity.

I don’t want to hear “there’s nothing we can do”

I’ve heard this phrase more times than I can count:

“There’s not much we can do to stop them.”

That may be legally true in a narrow sense — but it’s also incomplete and discouraging.

What I want to hear instead is:

  • what we can do
  • what we are trying
  • what tools are on the table
  • and where county leadership stands

Leadership isn’t just about explaining limits. It’s about using every option that still exists.

1. I want to see unified opposition — with a clear, reasonable caveat

I believe our county leaders should come out united against granting a tax abatement for this project at this stage.

Not forever. Not blindly. But now.

With a clear and reasonable position:

If the company chooses to build anyway, takes on the risk, and later asks for an abatement, then we can revisit what is truly in the county’s best interest.

That stance:

  • preserves county leverage
  • reflects public concern
  • and does not lock us into anything prematurely

Unity matters here. Silence reads as uncertainty.

2. I want leadership to stop downplaying county influence

It is true that counties have limited zoning authority in Texas.

It is not true that counties have no influence.

Tax abatements matter. Reinvestment zones matter. Public pressure matters. Process matters.

When leaders repeatedly emphasize powerlessness, it sends the wrong message — to both residents and developers.

I want to hear our leaders say:

“We may not control everything, but we will use every tool we do have.”

3. I want open support for a Chapter 391 planning committee

A Chapter 391 planning committee is not radical. It’s not anti-business. It’s not a delay tactic.

It’s a legal, established way for counties and other entities to plan together when facing large, cumulative impacts.

With:

  • multiple data centers
  • battery storage facilities
  • power infrastructure
  • long-term emergency service implications

…this is exactly the kind of situation Chapter 391 was designed for.

I want to hear our leaders:

  • publicly support forming one
  • explain how it would work
  • and invite participation instead of dismissing the idea

4. I want to hear that steps are already being taken

Support is good. Action is better.

I want to hear:

  • that the county attorney is being consulted
  • that leadership is exploring how to assemble a Chapter 391 committee
  • that conversations are happening now, not later

Even if the process takes time, transparency builds trust.

Silence does not.

5. I want to hear what restrictions and stipulations are being considered

If these projects move forward — now or in the future — residents deserve to know:

  • What conditions would the county push for?
  • What protections for water?
  • What requirements for emergency services?
  • What commitments for training and equipment?
  • What limits on future expansion?

Right now, we’re hearing very little about this.

That needs to change.

This is not about being anti-progress

This is about being pro-community, pro-planning, and pro-transparency.

Good projects can survive scrutiny. Bad ones don’t. And rushed ones usually hurt the communities they land in.

A request to fellow residents

If you agree with any of this, don’t assume someone else will say it.

  • Email the County Judge
  • Email the Commissioners
  • Ask them where they stand
  • Ask them what they’re doing
  • Ask them what tools they’re using

Respectful pressure is still pressure.

And leadership responds to it.

Final thought

I don’t expect perfection from our county leaders.

But I do expect:

  • clarity
  • unity
  • effort
  • and a willingness to try

This county deserves leaders who don’t just explain what can’t be done — but who actively pursue what can be done, while there’s still time.