‘Inside Texas Politics’: Michael Crain, John Bucy III, Jared Patterson, and the Data Center Exemption Costing Texas Billions

Texas is facing a $3.2 billion revenue loss over the next two years due to a 2014 tax incentive program designed to attract data centers—now costing the state more than any other incentive in the nation. Fort Worth Councilman Michael Crane reveals that while data centers bring temporary construction jobs and national security value, they also strain water and electricity resources, prompting local leaders across red counties to demand legislative oversight. Despite being a major taxpayer, companies like Meta operate with minimal local pushback, but cities like Fort Worth are pushing for coordinated state-local planning to balance growth with sustainability. Meanwhile, State Rep. Jared Patterson argues that courts cracking down on social media’s harm to youth makes a state-level ban even more urgent, citing Australia’s 16-and-under ban as a model. On election reform, Rep. John Busey proposes ending forced joint primaries, allowing each party to choose voting formats independently to prevent chaos. And in a controversial twist, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warns of GOP losses in November, while a fringe proposal to annex counties from New Mexico sparks debate over Texas’s expanding ambitions.