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Craig Seasholtz
Avis
Are data centers good or bad for Pennsylvanians?
Recent political ads attacking Stacy Garrity over her support for data-center development invite voters to view the issue in simple, partisan terms. But the question deserves more than campaign rhetoric.
Pennsylvanians should weigh both the consequences of building data centers and the consequences of refusing to build them.
Consider how often you use email, cloud storage, search engines, social media, video calls, online banking, streaming services, smartphone apps or GPS navigation. Data centers support many of these services. They also help power medical research, electronic health records, university research, manufacturing, supply-chain logistics, weather forecasting and electric-grid operations.
Modern life is deeply connected to the digital infrastructure these facilities provide. That does not mean every proposed data center should be approved. Energy consumption, water use, environmental impacts, electricity costs, and local community concerns deserve serious scrutiny. The question is how to manage development responsibly -- not whether to reduce a complex issue to a campaign slogan.
Governor Josh Shapiro initially championed data-center investment, including a major Amazon project, and promoted faster permitting. On Aug. 18, 2026, he signed an executive order imposing stricter requirements on new projects. Voters can reasonably ask what changed, why it changed and whether his current position reflects a consistent policy or a response to growing political pressure.
Campaign contributions also warrant scrutiny.
Spotlight PA reported that Shapiro's campaign received $100,000 from NorthPoint Development, which is developing an Amazon data-center complex in Pennsylvania.
Food & Water Watch subsequently identified $100,000 in contributions from donors associated with Anthropic and another $100,000 associated with Clayco, as well as a $25,000 contribution from Constellation Energy. These reports do not establish that donations determined Shapiro's decisions. However, they raise legitimate questions about transparency, political access and whether the same standards are being applied consistently to industry supporters and critics.
If data-center development is now a serious concern for Shapiro, voters deserve a clear explanation of how his current position reconciles with his earlier promotion of these projects and his campaign's fundraising from industry-connected donors.
Shapiro should focus on explaining his own datacenter position rather than articulating his opponent's stance. Policy consistency and transparency should matter regardless of party.
There is another important measure of gubernatorial performance: the state budget.
All four budgets signed by Shapiro since taking office missed Pennsylvania's June 30 fiscal-year deadline.
Budget Due date versus the day signed Date signed:
-- 2023-24 June 30, 2023 and Aug. 3, 2023
-- 2024-25 June 30, 2024 and July 12, 2024
-- 2025-26 June 30, 2025 and Nov. 12, 2025
-- 2026-27 June 30, 2026 and July 12, 2026
Budget negotiations involve the governor and the legislature, so responsibility for delays is shared. Nevertheless, repeated missed deadlines deserve scrutiny because timely budgeting is a fundamental responsibility of the state government.
Stacy Garrity offers a different professional background.
Before becoming state treasurer, she spent decades in manufacturing, with experience in accounting, cost management and corporate leadership. She also served 30 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, retired as a colonel and completed three overseas deployments. Her military honors include the Legion of Merit and two Bronze Star Medals. These credentials represent substantial experience in business operations, financial management, and military leadership -- experience voters can weigh alongside Shapiro's brief legal and public-service career.
Pennsylvanians deserve more than polished advertising and shifting political messages. We deserve transparent decisions, consistent policies, responsible budgeting, and leaders willing to explain their records. I would rather judge candidates by their documented achievements, professional experience, and accountability than by campaign rhetoric. Competence, consistency, and integrity matter -- and Pennsylvania's future deserves nothing less.