Data Centers Are "A Bipartisan Issue" – Marilyn Simpler, Action Group Leader of The West Shelby County Eagle Forum

The leader of the West Shelby County Action Group for Eagle Forum, a national conservative organization, stated in a letter that was passed out at the Action Group's meeting, yesterday, that hyperscale data centers are, "a bipartisan issue that concerns the future of our state." Marilyn Simpler noted in her letter that since she has been voicing her opposition to the massive hyperscale Artificial Intelligence data centers, "being pushed into Alabama", she has been called every pejorative imaginable. Pejoratives such as, "liberal, progressive, communist, Democrat, left-wing activist, socialist sympathizer" and others not worth repeating. Nonetheless, Simpler stated in her letter, those who truly know her, know that she is a Christian who votes in accordance with Biblical values.

However, as a Christian, Marilyn Simpler stated in her letter, "The political arena we are in today, punishes those who step out of line with their agendas." Dismissing any perceived dissenters as being, "radical". Since political candidates are "pressured to serve donors and not citizens." And projects like, "massive data centers are sold as 'cash cows' while Alabamians continue to suffer."

Nevertheless, when it comes to issues like hyperscale data centers colonizing Alabama, Simpler stated at the Action Group's meeting yesterday that Christians are called to be a "Watchman". A quote that Marilyn Simpler obtained from the Book of Ezekiel in The Bible. Specifically, Ezekiel 33: 2-3 which states that, "Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: 'When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people,". With Simpler clarifying that while Christians nowadays aren't facing Old Testament kings like in the times of The Book of Ezekiel, Christians nowadays are facing powerbrokers and major corporations. And, Simpler, stated, "it is time to overthrow the table."

Both the featured speaker at the West Shelby County Action Group of Eagle Forum meeting yesterday, Ann Eubank, and the leader of the action group, Marilyn Simpler, noted that "If you read the Book of Revelations, not all the future is good." But, "we will win in the end." With the focus of yesterday's meeting being to urge people to take a stand against the construction of hyperscale data centers in Alabama.

For Alabama has become a focal point for Big Tech and their hyperscale data centers due to the cheap power available for them, the abundant land available in Alabama the Beautiful that is easier and cheaper for them to acquire than in the traditional tech hubs like Silicon Valley, the established heavy industry corridors that provide ready access to major electrical grids and transport logistics, the tax abatements and other financial incentives the State of Alabama is mystifyingly providing to these data centers, and the high-capacity, low-latency digital routes that have been made available across Alabama via the Alabama Fiber Network.

Yet one of the many valid concerns that the attendees at the West Shelby County Action Group for Eagle Forum had yesterday was that all of the tax incentives Alabama is providing for these hyperscale data centers to come here is not a sound return on the state's investment. As one member of the audience pointed out, once the twenty-year tax abatements for the hyperscale data centers end, "How much do you want to bet the technology in them will be obsolete?" Furthermore, the financial incentives and tax incentives the State of Alabama is providing for these hyperscale data centers were designed to bring manufacturing companies like Mercedes Benz to the state since manufacturing companies actually bring jobs to the state. However, hyperscale data centers aren't manufacturing companies, but rather service and infrastructure providers that yield few permanent jobs in the long-term. So the tax incentives being provided to the hyperscale data centers to come to Alabama aren't predicted to bring a plethora of meaningful jobs to the state.

It is worth noting, that in the State of Florida, SB 484 was signed into law by Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis on May 07th, 2026. With SB 484 being legislation that allows local municipalities and counties in Florida to maintain full control over zoning matters, even to the point of being able to block projects, outright. Consequently, recently, the Palm Beach County commissioners in Florida voted five to one to reject the "Project Tango" hyperscale data center that was being proposed for construction merely twenty miles from President Donald J. Trump's home of Mar-A-Lago.

Luisa Reyes is a Tuscaloosa attorney, piano instructor, vocalist, poet, reporter, and columnist who writes on current events, politics, and the arts.

Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Alabama Gazette staff or publishers.