‘On our terms’: Texas Governor-elect Hinojosa warns Musk as she vows to protect citizens from data centres
Texas Governor-elect and Democratic leader Gina Hinojosa has warned billionaire Elon Musk and other major businesses that they will have to operate within rules designed to protect local communities, signalling a tougher regulatory approach towards data centres and corporate expansion in the state. In an interview with CNN, Hinojosa said technology companies had been expanding their data centre operations, particularly in rural parts of Texas, without adequate safeguards for residents. She argued that local communities were bearing the consequences of these developments without having sufficient legal protections or a meaningful say in decisions affecting their lives.
“Right now, what has happened is data centres have moved into mostly rural communities, and there are no rules and laws to protect Texans, and Texans are being taken advantage of,” Hinojosa told CNN.
The incoming governor made it clear that although Texas would continue to welcome businesses and investments, corporate interests could no longer take precedence over the welfare of residents. “We have always been a pro-business state in Texas, but what changes now with me as governor is it has to be a partnership that benefits Texans. So the difference is we will have laws to protect Texans, and we need to stop what we’re doing with data centres until we have those protections. We can have a strong economy, strong industry and protections for the people of Texas. Those things are not mutually exclusive, and I’ll make sure, as governor, I lead to ensure that happens,” she told CNN.
Hinojosa’s warning to Elon Musk and SpaceX
Hinojosa also addressed concerns over the possibility of Elon Musk shifting his businesses out of Texas if her administration introduces stricter regulations. Responding to a question about her relationship with the SpaceX CEO, she said there was room for cooperation, but businesses would have to respect the interests of local residents.
“We can have a strong working relationship with Musk and his companies, but it has to be on our terms. It cannot be just running over the people of Texas,” she added. Her remarks underline the approach she intends to adopt towards major corporations operating in the state. Rather than opposing business investments outright, Hinojosa wants companies to work with communities and ensure that their expansion does not come at the expense of public interests.
She also clarified that her opposition was not directed at data centres as an industry but at the manner in which some companies were allegedly dealing with local communities. “It is not that I hate data centres. I hate the way they are taking advantage of Texas. And that stops when I’m governor.”
Why is Hinojosa opposing the proposed land deal involving Musk?
The Texas Governor-elect also raised objections to the proposed sale of public coastal land to SpaceX, stressing that the state’s beaches should remain accessible to ordinary residents. When asked whether Musk might consider leaving Texas over her opposition to the proposed transaction, Hinojosa said the government would have to strike a balance between commercial interests and public access to natural resources.
“We have to have balance. These are our beaches we’re talking about. I mean, selling our beach to Elon Musk is just something that is almost unimaginable. It’s unacceptable. Our beaches are enshrined in our Texas Constitution as being free and open to the people of Texas because they are our beaches.”
Her position reflects a broader concern about the use of public land for private commercial projects. Hinojosa has indicated that economic development cannot come at the cost of public access to resources that belong to the people of Texas.
What are data centres and why are they facing scrutiny?
Data centres are specialised facilities that house computer servers, networking equipment and digital infrastructure used to store, process and manage vast amounts of information. They are essential to cloud computing, artificial intelligence and several other technology services.
However, their rapid expansion has raised concerns in several communities over electricity consumption, water requirements, land use and the pressure placed on local infrastructure. Hinojosa’s proposed approach seeks to ensure that communities have adequate protections and a role in decisions concerning such projects.
Who is Gina Hinojosa, the Democrat who defeated Greg Abbott?
Hinojosa’s comments come after a major political shift in Texas, where the Democrat defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott to win the gubernatorial election. Her victory ended more than three decades of Republican control of the state’s governor’s office. She is the first Democrat to win the Texas governorship since Ann Richards in 1990 and will also become the state’s first Latina governor.
(With inputs from ANI)
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