Joe Gierut thinks you’re not smart enough to know what’s good for you.

His byline recognizes him as a Sioux Falls resident with two kids. What he fails to mention is that he’s vice president of a national political research and issue-advocacy firm, one I would bet backs data centers.

Joe’s recent column frames South Dakotans wary of data centers as small-minded, uneducated locals who are confused. He casts local opposition to the noisy water- and power-sucking centers as an uninformed fringe opinion.

VIEWPOINT | Data center issue deserves seat at the table, not a moratorium

Guest column by Joe Gierut

logo

Subscribe to The Dakota Scout to read the rest of the story.

Become a paying subscriber of The Dakota Scout to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content.

Subscribe

A subscription gets you:

  • Daily news in your inbox
  • Viewpoints, concert reviews, obituaries
  • Weekly digital copy of print version

Reply

Avatar

or to participate

Avatar

Sam Froehlke1 month ago

Yes, thank you. I'm tired of our opposition being framed as "a bunch of hicks who are afraid of computers". I won't go into my full dislike of all this here, suffice to say that we don't want it, we don't need it, and it's a very, very, very bad investment. It's a bubble, and we should be warning other states to get out, not trying to get in. If I'm elected, I will vote against these stupid things as much as I possibly can.

(To read more than will fit in a comment: https://www.samfroehlkeforsd.com/news/thats-enough-of-this-ai-nonsense)

Avatar

Michael Brooke1 month ago

All great point Erinn. Joe is a bit of a mystery man. He works for BSG Group, which promotes AI - powered tech solutions. A very committed AI advocate. Link to the "Tech Solutions" section of their website: https://bullpenstrategygroup.com/tech-solutions/

Joe is certainly NOT an open minded, non-partisan advocate!

Avatar

The Heart of Everything1 month ago

I’d add to Erinn’s points that I’m tired of being labeled as anti-development for raising objections to hyper scale data centers and the self-interest and big money (often out of state) driving them. Lots of industries need to house large amounts of data, think health care for example, and no one is saying a blanket no to data centers. For all of Joe’s fear-mongering about the Chinese what he doesn’t mention is where the Chinese and others are kicking our butts and that’s in renewable energy, solar and wind for example. South Dakota, I believe, produces a significant amount of energy from renewable sources (we might be number one in the states for this?). I’d like to see our legislature consider moves that would grow this effort—perhaps a subsidy for installing solar panels, maybe a 50 year sales tax exemption on solar panels that would benefit individuals and small businesses that become more energy self-sufficient? Wouldn’t that be something.

Avatar

Nancy Turbak Berry1 month ago

Thank you, Erinn! Your reasoned, informed response is so necessary and welcome! If these data centers could stand on their merits, why would they have to spend lavish amounts on campaign contributions? The contributions themselves send a loud message: i. e., they know they likely won’t prevail if they have to present their arguments in an even playing feel. Legislators, stand up for South Dakota’s people and resources!

Avatar

SFmama41 month ago

Thank you Erinn. I'm tired of these large out of state corporations as painting us as idiots. Voters - research your legislators to see if they voted for or against the 50 year tax exemption hyperdata center bill. These are multi million and billion dollar companies and they can afford to pay taxes like all the small businesses in SD!

Keep Reading