Recently, a voter in District 20 stated that it was difficult to find my stance on data centers, flock cameras, and eminent domain. I was shocked until I figured out that none of my website shared my stance. I need to fix that! These are all topics that are very important, and I want to make sure the people of District 20 understand where I stand on these issues.
One thing I have learned over the years is that government decisions can sound pretty simple when you hear them discussed at the Capitol. Then you look a little closer and realize those decisions can affect your water bill, your property, your privacy, your community, and your family. That is why I believe people deserve to know where their elected officials stand.
Data centers, Flock cameras, and eminent domain- they may seem like three completely different subjects. To me, they have something important in common. People should not have to give up their rights or their voice simply because something is called progress.
Data Centers: Where I Stand
I am not opposed to technology or economic development. As someone who has spent much of my career working in education and technology, I understand the benefits technology can bring. However, I also believe Kentucky needs to be honest about the costs associated with hyper-scale data center development. Hyperscale data centers can require enormous amounts of electricity, water, land, and infrastructure. When those demands affect our electric grid, water resources, roads, or utility rates, Kentucky families deserve to know who pays.
Like many of my neighbors, I want transparency. I want local communities to have a meaningful voice– not just the people in leadership but all of the people. Our rural communities should not be treated as empty spaces on a map simply because there is room to build.
Flock Cameras (+ competitors):
I love our police officers, and I will always say that many of them work incredibly hard to keep our communities safe. I respect the work they do, and I believe our officers deserve the resources, training, and support they need to do their jobs well. Like our law enforcement officers, I believe in keeping our communities safe. However, I also believe in the Fourth Amendment and in the right to privacy.
Technology has changed the way law enforcement can gather information. Flock cameras can provide useful investigative tools, but at what cost? I am not for Flock cameras. I believe we need to be thoughtful about how much information we collect on ordinary people, how long that information is retained, who can access it, and how it can be used. That does not mean I am against law enforcement. Quite the opposite.
I am for fully funding our police departments so our officers have the resources, training, and support they need to protect our communities with dignity and professionalism. We can support our police officers while also protecting the constitutional rights of the people they serve. To me, public safety and personal liberty should not have to be an either-or choice. We can have both.
Eminent Domain
Property rights matter to me. I grew up in Eastern Kentucky, and I understand that land can mean much more than a deed. It can be a home that has been in a family for generations. It can be a farm; it can be the place where someone raised their children or built their livelihood; it can be home.
A person’s property should not be taken simply because it is convenient. Property owners deserve due process, transparency, and fair compensation. They deserve to understand why their property is being taken and what authority allows it. When large private projects are involved, we should be especially careful about where the line between public benefit and private interest is drawn.
People First
These three issues are different, but my approach to them is the same.
Ask questions, read the fine print, follow the money, listen to the people who will actually live with the consequences. I am not interested in being a senator who automatically says yes because something has a fancy name, comes with a big price tag, or is being sold as the next great thing. I want to be the senator who asks, What does this mean for the people who live here?
Government is supposed to work for the people. Not for corporations or for political legacies. It isn’t for the people with the most money or the loudest voice. It’s for the people, and that’s where I stand.