Texas has more than 300 data centers, according to earlier reporting, and several are proposed in Montgomery County. Data centers need large amounts of electricity and often water to run their equipment.
Some Montgomery County voters said they are not sure how the industry affects their daily lives. Ashley Morgan, a voter in the county, said she does not have enough research to connect it to her own spending. A new University of Houston survey found that many Texas voters are questioning whether the benefits of data centers are worth the cost.
John Hornbuckle, a voter in Montgomery County who works in commercial real estate, said his office has several data center-related deals in The Woodlands. He said the industry is bringing good-paying jobs to Houston. Others are concerned about who pays the financial costs when large companies move into an area.