WAUSAU, WI – Today, Tom Tiffany released his seventh statewide ad highlighting David Crowley’s data center agenda. In his own words, Crowley has called for Wisconsin to become “an AI and a data hub not only for the entire country, but for the entire globe.”

The new ad, titled “Data Center David,” highlights Crowley’s record on data centers, including his refusal to end their sales tax exemptions, which are estimated to cost Wisconsin more than $2 billion in forgone sales tax revenue. It also highlights that Crowley has received roughly $350,000 from groups that stand to benefit from data center development in Wisconsin.

“My priority is protecting Wisconsin families, taxpayers, farmland, and water, not turning our state into a data center hub for the ‘entire globe,’” said Tiffany. “There should be no new data centers without strong standards to protect Wisconsin. If we pave over productive farmland and drive up demand on our electric grid, families will pay the price through higher food and utility costs.”

Tiffany has been clear that there should be no new data centers in Wisconsin without strong standards to protect taxpayers, farmland, water, local communities, and the electric grid. His five standards are:

  • End taxpayer subsidies: As governor, Tiffany would end tax breaks for data centers in Wisconsin. David Crowley supports keeping those tax breaks. Some of the wealthiest companies in the world should not be subsidized by Wisconsin taxpayers.
  • Give local communities the final say: No data center should be forced on a community that does not support it. Local residents will have the final say over what gets built in their backyard.
  • Protect productive Wisconsin farmland: Tiffany would prevent productive farmland from being converted into industrial-scale data center developments. Crowley has called for data centers to be powered by 100% wind, solar, and battery storage, which would require land not only for the data centers themselves, but also for thousands of additional acres of energy infrastructure needed to power them.
  • Protect utility customers and the electric grid: Data centers must pay the costs they create, rather than passing them on to Wisconsin families and businesses through higher utility bills. They must also adhere to the Ratepayer Protection Pledge and bring their own energy.
  • Ban secret NDAs: Tiffany would prohibit nondisclosure agreements that keep communities in the dark about proposed data center projects. Wisconsin residents deserve transparency before decisions are made that could reshape their communities.

Under a Tiffany administration, the DNR would also ensure every proposed project meets strict environmental standards before a permit is issued, protecting Wisconsin’s water, land, and natural resources. If these standards are not met or the local community does not support the project, it will not move forward.

You can watch the ad here.