Friends,
Wisconsin comedian Charlie Berens recently joked that “we have more regulations on a bratwurst than the entire artificial intelligence community.”
It’s funny but it raises some real questions.
Wisconsin is seeing proposals for massive new data centers that will likely permanently shape our communities. They can bring jobs and investment, and I’m not against public support for growth when it makes sense.
But when projects are this large, Wisconsin families deserve one simple guarantee:
No hidden costs.
Families and small businesses shouldn’t end up paying indirectly, whether through utility rates, infrastructure strain, or long-term taxpayer risk that wasn’t clear from the start.
We’ve learned from recent large developments, like Foxconn, that they work best when expectations are honest and transparent from day one. Growth should strengthen communities, not create surprises later. That means leaders doing their job, protecting taxpayers with clear agreements, accountability, and clawbacks if promises aren't kept.
That’s the balance I’ll continue to advocate for.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on this — just hit reply and let me know.
Conversations like this are how we build better policy and a stronger Wisconsin.
- Mike
