Fayetteville Mayor Ed Johnson
With the Georgia legislature shifting into high gear, there has been a renewed focus on the data center growth our state has facilitated in recent years. For many, these facilities may be an abstract concept. However, they are integral to the tools of modern life, from the digital maps you use to navigate our roads to the cutting-edge AI technology that is transforming industries and keeping us out front of global competitors like China.
Producing critical technologies in-state is a conduit for economic growth, helping small businesses punch above their weight and strengthening the competitive edge of the numerous Fortune 500 companies that call Georgia home. AI has emerged as an invaluable tool for nearly every sector, and data centers are key to this technology’s functionality. From farmers using it to irrigate their crops more efficiently to medical professionals using its data-driven insights to improve patient diagnostics, none of this innovation would be possible without our state’s growing data center capacity.
Nurturing this tech ecosystem is more than just a question of digital resources and innovation—it’s simple dollars and cents. The data center industry has injected billions of dollars in investments and tax revenues into local communities across Georgia. The Peach State is among the leading markets for data center employment—offering Georgians high-quality opportunities with industry leaders who have put down roots here. Meanwhile, with an increases of up to 76% in data center construction year over year, the construction and contracting industries and related industries up and down the supply chain have also seen significant job growth.
It’s important to note that our state’s tech infrastructure growth is happening at a pivotal moment for interstate competition. Georgia’s leaders have worked tirelessly to cultivate a welcoming business environment that has attracted a range of industries—and their transformational investments—to our borders in the past few years. Nevertheless, regional competitors like North Carolina have pushed to accomplish the same goals and eagerly await the opportunity to take the investments and job opportunities our state pushes away.
Now, with policymakers considering measures that could have far-reaching impacts on data center investment, we should be mindful not to abandon the progress we have worked so hard to achieve. After all, the decisions made in this year could mean the difference between Georgia leading on technological innovation or falling behind regional competitors.
For the sake of communities like Fayetteville, which are eager to see the opportunities brought by data center investment, I sincerely hope our state’s leaders elect to foster the growth of this industry by setting aside job-killing proposals and instead embracing smart tax and energy policies that will strengthen the competitiveness of our digital infrastructure and the broader Georgia economy. Following Governor Kemp’s example, we should explore ways to attract emerging industries instead of driving them away to other states.
As the proud mayor of Fayetteville, one of my principal goals is to ensure our city’s success and prosperity for the years to come. While we have generated exciting momentum as a state in the past few years, we must now take steps to sustain this progress by fueling our key industries—from data centers to farming to manufacturing.
By advancing constructive public policy and encouraging private investment, we’ll ensure Georgia’s continued progress and leadership in innovation, unlocking new opportunities for Fayetteville and our neighbors throughout the state.
Mayor Edward Johnson has served as the mayor of Fayetteville since 2016.
