1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

I am writing as a concerned Illinois resident to urge you to oppose any legislation that restores data center tax incentives without robust, enforceable protections for consumers, the environment, and working families. A recent investigative report by the Chicago Tribune highlights what many of us have long feared: the state's data center tax incentive program has delivered over $983 million in public subsidies to some of the wealthiest corporations on earth — while ordinary Illinoisans absorb the costs in the form of rising utility bills, strained water resources, and overburdened electrical infrastructure. I strongly support the pause you put in place on July 1, 2026, and I urge you to hold the line as the General Assembly considers legislation in the fall veto session. Any framework that emerges must include, at minimum: • Data centers pay for their own power.These facilities can consume as muchelectricity as a mid-sized city. Illinoisansshould not be forced to subsidize gridupgrades and generation capacity thatexist solely to serve Big Tech's bottom line. • Mandatory water use reporting andpermitting. Some hyperscale data centersconsume up to 5 million gallons of waterper day. Illinois must protect its waterresources with comprehensive,enforceable permits — not voluntarypledges. • Community benefit agreements. Thecommunities hosting these facilities —often lower-income areas — deservedirect, binding commitments on jobs,environmental quality, and localinvestment. • No restoration of tax incentives withoutaccountability. Any renewed incentiveprogram must be conditioned on cleanenergy supply, transparent reporting, anddemonstrated benefit to Illinois residents— not just to shareholders. Illinois has an opportunity to lead the nation in setting a high bar for responsible data center development. I urge you not to squander that opportunity by caving to industry pressure without meaningful concessions. The data centers will come regardless — as even critics of the pause have acknowledged. We should not give away hundreds of millions in public dollars without demanding that these companies pay their fair share and do right by our communities. Thank you for your leadership on this issue. I hope you will continue to stand with Illinois families. Respectfully,