"The right to criticize government is also an obligation to know what you are talking about."

-Lent Upson, first director of Citizens Research Council

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June 19, 2026

Happy Juneteenth!

Highlights:

New Council Report: Evaluation of Policy Controversies Regarding Hyperscale Data Center Development
New Podcast: Article VI-Judicial Branch
Save the Date: Annual Public Policy Dinner, September 30

Evaluation of Policy Controversies Regarding Hyperscale Data Center Development

Data centers are not the economic development miracle often described by boosters. Nor are data centers the threat to everything residents hold dear as often described by opponents. The topic of data centers has become such an emotional issue for many people that it is difficult to engage in rational discussion. Much of this response is related to enthusiasm or anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence. There are numerous possibilities and valid concerns regarding the development and deployment of AI tools—and likely a pressing need for relevant policy conversations. Those issues are entirely irrelevant to where a data center might be built. Conflating the impacts of AI with data center development policies prevents constructive conversations of both issues.

In a Nutshell

-- Data center development proposals should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. While large ‘hyperscale’ facilities should be carefully scrutinized to mitigate potential negative impacts (power demand, water use, noise), many smaller more typical data centers are nearly indistinguishable from office buildings and provide valuable services to local businesses and other users of digital cloud services.

-- The economic benefits of data center investments are modest. The primary economic activity created by data centers is during the construction phase. Attracting data centers is not an effective approach to long-term economic development. However, local host communities may substantially benefit from property tax revenue and/or community benefit agreements.

-- The negative impacts of data centers are often overstated. While there is risk of unsustainable development, Michigan’s water resources and power grid appear capable of accommodating substantial data center development under current policies. The most concerning negative impact of data centers is noise pollution. Protecting nearby residents from harmful impacts of data center noise is feasible but requires particular attention from local permitting agencies.

Read the Report

In the eighth episode of our #FactsMatter podcast series, previewing what a constitutional convention, or con-con, might address, hosts Guy Gordon and Eric Lupher discuss Article VI – Judicial Branch.

They walked through multiple areas of reform that a con-con could address. Michigan’s judicial system shows several pressure points in need of modernization — from the partisan–nonpartisan mismatch in how Supreme Court justices are selected to outdated retirement rules and uneven judicial pay. Administrative roles are blurred, and county‑by‑county funding disparities leave poorer communities at a disadvantage. With the state covering only 2–4% of court costs, many experts argue that a constitutional fix may be needed to ensure fair, consistent funding statewide.

The overall takeaway: Article VI works reasonably well structurally, but judicial selection, the partisan/nonpartisan fiction, and especially court funding are issues a convention would almost certainly need to address.

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Listen/Watch Here

Con-Con Research Series