“POWER” highlights Governor Kotek’s leadership protecting Oregonians from data centers and Christine Drazan’s record doing the opposite
PORTLAND, OR – Today, Governor Tina Kotek’s re-election campaign launched a new ad highlighting her efforts to hold data centers accountable. “POWER” shows Oregonians that Governor Kotek is fighting to lower costs for households and ensure that data centers pay their fair share, while Christine Drazan has put data centers ahead of Oregonians.
“Oregonians shouldn’t have to pick up the tab for data centers,” said Governor Tina Kotek. “That’s why I support a moratorium on new data centers until we can make sure they no longer drive up utility rates, take clean energy away from other users, damage our clean water and clean air, and can be built by union workers. My opponent, Christine Drazan, has refused to hold data centers accountable. She voted against the POWER Act instead of standing up for Oregonians.”
The new ad highlights Governor Kotek’s clear record on data centers – from signing the POWER Act, to lowering costs for Oregonians, to protecting state lands from data center development. Yesterday, Governor Kotek announced a pause on new data center projects on state land to prioritize the needs of Oregon’s communities and natural resources. More details on the announcement can be found here.
Christine Drazan’s pro-data center record includes:
- In August, Drazan said that she opposes removing tax incentives for data centers.
- Even though a majority of Oregonians don’t want data centers in their backyard, Christine Drazan opposed data center oversight and tax break repeals.
- Last year, Drazan voted against the POWER Act, legislation that is now successfully holding data centers accountable for paying their fair share of utility costs.
- In July, Drazan spoke against an “arbitrary moratorium” on data centers.
“POWER” TRANSCRIPT
NEWS VO: It’s called the POWER Act.
It stops data centers from passing their energy costs on to you.
Tina Kotek signed it. Christine Drazan opposed it.
Drazan doesn’t care if you pay higher bills.
Tina stopped state land from going to a data center and supports a moratorium on new data centers until strong protections against rate increases and threats to our clean air and water are in place.
Not Drazan. She put data centers ahead of Oregonians.
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ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK
Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.
Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.
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