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Port Washington is facing intense protests and a mayoral recall over a proposed…

2026-07-17 · 17:44 UTC ·@jasminewsun ·1 min read

Brief

Jasmine Sun is driving around Wisconsin and Michigan to report on the data center buildout, visiting sites and interviewing tradespeople, activists, planners and residents. She documents Port Washington protests and a mayoral recall, Microsoft rescuing Mount Pleasant from a $100M+ Foxconn debt, large payouts to unions and farmers, and widespread local suspicion centered on NDAs, subsidies and secretive council deals.

Why it matters

Port Washington is facing intense protests and a mayoral recall over a proposed data center; residents cite environmental and aesthetic concerns while paradoxically accepting an existing power plant in town.

Key details

  • Mount Pleasant officials welcomed Microsoft’s build because it filled a $100M+ debt hole left by the failed Foxconn project.
  • Economic winners and local anger: union workers receive $100 cash per diems plus six-figure salaries; farmers who sold land became decamillionaires; residents report NDAs, closed council meetings, tax-subsidy complaints and said “I’m not a conspiracy guy but…” at least four times.
Source evidence

data center road trip // day 2-3

  • Port Washington has faced intense protests and a mayoral recall over their data center. residents cite environment and aesthetics, but are fine with the power plant in the middle of town

  • Mount Pleasant officials were relieved to have Microsoft build, filling the $100m+ debt hole left by the failed Foxconn project

  • the union guys are making bank, getting $100 cash per diems on top of 6-figure salaries, and farmers became decamillionaires selling their land

  • the huge numbers on data center deals make residents more suspicious, not less! I’ve heard less about AI than NDAs and council meetings: people are furious at local gov for “selling out,” giving tax subsidies, and blindsiding them

  • I’ve heard “I’m not a conspiracy guy but…” at least 4x. everyone thinks everyone else is being paid off

jasmine sun (@jasminewsun)

I’m spending the next week driving around Wisconsin and Michigan to get a firsthand view of the data center buildout and backlash

am visiting sites, talking to tons of people — tradespeople, activists, planners, residents — then writing up a story

lmk what questions I should dig into!

— https://nitter.net/jasminewsun/status/2077519592130253200#m