Matthew Holloway |
Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes is facing criticism from Arizona Republicans after calling for a pause in new data center development, with critics circulating earlier remarks in which she described access to renewable electricity as a factor in attracting technology companies and jobs to Arizona.
The Arizona Republican Party’s post to X accused Mayes of changing her positions to win votes. The criticism followed a post by Brian Anderson highlighting a Phoenix Business Journal excerpt discussing Mayes’ views on renewable energy and corporate investment.
“Kris Mayes is a fraud. She will say whatever she needs to say to get your vote,” the party wrote.
The excerpt comes from a 2018 Phoenix Business Journal article examining the debate over Proposition 127 and the potential employment effects of expanding renewable energy.
In the excerpt, Mayes pointed to Facebook’s selection of New Mexico for a data center after seeking a location that could provide entirely renewable power. She also cited renewable energy requirements and emissions goals at Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft.
“These companies are not going to put jobs in Arizona unless they can get renewable power,” Mayes said.
Anderson characterized the remarks as support for additional data centers and green energy tax subsidies, questioning Mayes’ subsequent support for a moratorium. The circulated excerpt discusses renewable electricity availability and company location decisions without identifying a specific tax-subsidy proposal.
Mayes called for a statewide pause in August, urging the Legislature and Gov. Katie Hobbs to halt approvals and construction of new data centers, particularly hyperscale artificial intelligence projects, until Arizona develops a plan to manage the industry’s growth.
“The only sane thing to do is to pause the approval of new data centers,” Mayes said.
Her announcement cited rising electricity costs, pressure on water supplies, and infrastructure needed to serve the facilities. Mayes’ office argued that additional development could strain the electric grid and increase residential power bills. The office also announced an October 14 town hall concerning Menlo Digital’s planned hyperscale data center in Ahwatukee.
The proposal has drawn intra-party disagreement from Hobbs. The governor opposed a statewide development moratorium while acknowledging concerns about the industry’s demands on water and electricity.
“I don’t believe that a state moratorium is the right approach,” Hobbs said.
Data center policy also surfaced during the attorney general debate between Mayes and Republican Senate President Warren Petersen. Petersen expressed conditional support for data centers and emphasized community involvement in decisions about their development. Mayes supported a moratorium and attributed utility rate pressures to data center growth.
Separately, Pima County’s decision to suspend certain new data center development has prompted a legal challenge from the Goldwater Institute. The organization demanded the county rescind its 120-day moratorium, arguing that supervisors had failed to satisfy state law requirements and could expose the county to property rights claims.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
