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Francesca Hong: “Local governments should have the authority to approve or…”

Featuring: Francesca Hong, Democratic | Wisconsin State Assembly, District 76

Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2

Published June 2, 2026 | Video Starts at 36:01

And so if we do not have this moratorium, we are at risk of having companies being able to build at scale … Local governments should have the authority to approve or reject [data center] projects if they don't want them there. … we have data centers right now that have sales and use tax exemptions that have cost the state upwards of $40 million. (36:01–36:09)

CLAIM

Asserts that local governments should have the power to approve or reject data center projects.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Francesca Hong

“Wisconsin was actually the first state in the country to pass a renewable portfolio [in 1999].”
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“Natural gas and coal still generate about 72% of Wisconsin's electricity and renewables are only around 10 to 12%.”
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“$12 million was what the executive pay for We Energies [executive] took home.”
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“The law was written in the early 1900s and it prevents the commission from considering air pollution.”
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“We have data centers right now that have sales and use tax exemptions that have cost the state upwards of $40 million.”
Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2 | Uploaded June 2, 2026 | 36:12-36:20
“Wisconsinites electricity bills are the second highest in the Midwest.”
Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2 | Uploaded June 2, 2026 | 51:31-51:37
“The manufacturing and agricultural tax credit that costs the state around $400 million a year, this is a tax credit, a subsidy that we…”
Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2 | Uploaded June 2, 2026 | 58:15-58:25
“It [AB888] creates the funding necessary to train up thousands of workers who would be able to collectively bargain and construct this…”
Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2 | Uploaded June 2, 2026 | 07:36-53:04
“Ratepayers should not be paying for utilities to lobby against them.”
Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2 | Uploaded June 2, 2026 | 13:09-13:15
“Ratepayers should not be paying for utilities to lobby against them.”
Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2 | Uploaded June 2, 2026 | 13:09-13:15
“We've seen millions of dollars get lost in trade association fees.”
Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2 | Uploaded June 2, 2026 | 13:35-13:42
“The administration should use every tool possible and wield the full power of the executive [to address Line 5].”
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“Line 5 should be shut down and not rerouted.”
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“We have to stop both Line 5 in both its current form and the reroute as well.”
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“Expand the DNR board of directors to include not one, but multiple tribal nations representation.”
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“There should be direct partnership with the Bad River Band, the Red Cliff, and every tribal nation defending their Great Lakes.”
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“In Wisconsin, we have seen that the courts have interpreted it to include greenhouse gas emissions.”
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“Our Public Service Commission keeps approving new gas plants while the climate crisis continues to accelerate.”
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“It's imperative that we work, that the executive work with the legislature to repeal these statutory binders.”
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“There are additional statutory changes that will allow the Public Service Commission to actually be much more reflective of the public…”
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“If a data center wants to operate in Wisconsin, it should be powered entirely with renewables.”
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“I've also introduced a bill that would put a moratorium on the construction of new AI data centers until we have more data on the impacts…”
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“Data centers should pay for the full cost of the infrastructure they require.”
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“We've had legislation introduced that would prohibit the use of NDA, and I would absolutely direct the legislature to continue to pursue…”
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“The Republican majority in the legislature has refused to take up [legislation giving the PSC more regulatory power].”
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“Most of that [$12 million] was due to ratepayer hikes and the profits that were made from that.”
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“It's imperative that we have transparency and accountability when it comes to decisions around ratepayer increases.”
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“Closing loopholes, ensuring that we're putting in statute that there are regular reforms...is absolutely imperative.”
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“No single lobby dollar is taken from the people of Wisconsin when it comes to payments for utilities.”
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“The average we energy bills have doubled in the last 20 years.”
Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2 | Uploaded June 2, 2026 | 51:37-51:44
“Utility costs should not be shifted onto any family here in the state of Wisconsin.”
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“Restoring regional transit authorities is going to be key.”
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“The legislation [for restoring regional transit authorities] is ready to go in the state assembly.”
Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2 | Uploaded June 2, 2026 | 52:19-52:26
“We would get support from it in the Senate as well.”
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“The bill for [EV charging infrastructure investments] already exists as well. I believe it's AB888.”
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“If the legislature doesn't take action now to fully fund the Knowles Nelson stewardship program, this helps restore conservationist…”
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“I would also establish a permanent Wisconsin climate resilience fund.”
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“We can fund this by ensuring that we are not losing funds that could be coming into the state that are going out to pay for utility…”
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“We are capping those profits and not approving additional utility rate hikes where those investments are not going to come to our grid.”
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“Public health is at the intersection of every issue. Climate, housing, food, education, health care.”
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“We have hollowed out our local governments and the funding that goes towards our public health departments.”
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“Moving towards a more equitable shared revenue formula, ensuring that our local governments have the funding they need to invest into public…”
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“There is a lot of work that must be done in terms of repealing a lot of the harm that has come from this divestment into public health.”
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“This includes what we've seen in terms of defunding our public universities and public education.”
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“We can build better centralized resource systems for our public health departments.”
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“Collaboration is needed to ensure that there is proper communication and a better use of limited resources.”
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“There is a unique opportunity right now to invest in renewables, to hold polluters accountable, to take on corporate control.”
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“Johnson Controls has been trying to buy, basically trying to sell them out to make sure that they're not held accountable for the PFAS…”
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“There is bipartisan understanding and now advocacy to make sure that the system that is rigged against us having a clean and healthy planet…”
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“A Republican legislature that has led us to a Wisconsin that does not serve all of us.”
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