Let's all data center, the Nevada way!

The Data Center State. Under legislation Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo proposed back in 2023, every year at least a quarter billion dollars of Nevada public tax revenue would have been redirected to private schools. 

Like so very much of Lombardo’s legislative agenda as governor, the proposal was laughed out of existence by state lawmakers.

You might think a wild-eyed publicly-funded scheme to privatize education would be a bit off-putting to the union that represents school teachers in the state’s largest (and nation’s fifth-largest) public school district.

If so, you haven’t been paying attention to the consistently mercenary machinations of the Clark County Education Association.

Over the last week or so CCEA has launched a full-court press in praise of data centers and the Republican governor who loves them, accompanied of course by CCEA-funded attack ads against Lombardo’s Democratic opponent accusing him of once being the same thing Lombardo is now: pro-data center.

In maneuvers jointly choreographed by CCEA, Lombardo’s campaign, and a PR arm of the planet’s richest tech bros and the preposterous hyperscaling for which they stand, the union hopes to profit and Lombardo hopes to get reelected by promising that if Nevada hugs AI-driven data centers, schools could get a little more money. (See story below)

The transactional antics of CCEA and its sidekick governor are ostensibly designed to improve education. But in the here and now, their main purpose is reelecting a CCEA-beholden, Trump-enamored Lombardo. And in the process, the state must bow before perhaps the most arrogant, callous, threatening, and dangerous industry the world has ever known. Very Nevada-y, no? Have a nice day.

IN NEVADA CURRENT

All aboard! AI data centers are “the means by which Nevada will meet an unprecedented challenge and realize an unprecedented opportunity, one of the most significant for economic growth and fiscal diversification this State has seen in a generation,” Lombardo said. (Shorter Lombardo: “C’mon, man.”) April Corbin Girnus reports: Lombardo doubles down on data centers, offers trimmed tax breaks, ‘commitments’ to wary public

Besides, resistance is futile, duh.“I thought you were supposed to represent the people and the utilities, and it feels like everyone here is trying to tell you that we aren’t being heard,” said Elizabeth Bree Kasper, a frequent participant in PUNC hearings. “My follow-up public comment is trying to ask how we can follow up, and the response from everyone here is that there is no follow-up; that we need to just take it.” Jeniffer Solis reports: Public Utility Commission approves gas plants to power data centers

NSHE regents race. “Right now, the system is flourishing, and it’s doing well with the leadership in place,” says the incumbent. “There should be faculty perspectives fully represented” on the board, says the challenger. Michael Lyle reports: Incumbent higher ed regent challenged by UNR public health professor

The Fed’s interest rate increase “may further slow the weaker parts of the economy, such as housing, while barely affecting the strongest, namely the relentless investment in artificial intelligence.” A slightly different angle on ye olde K-shaped narrative, via The Conversation.

Good Luck