Editor’s note: This letter was also sent to Dover City Council, Mayor Robin Christiansen and the city’s clerk.
After seeing a news story recently that a city council had rejected listening to its voters and its residents, we felt compelled to just thank you folks again.
We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to every member of Dover City Council for your open minds, thoughtful deliberation and careful consideration in unanimously approving the 18-month moratorium on new data center applications. Your willingness to pause, ask difficult questions and put the long-term interests of Dover residents first demonstrates responsible leadership and a genuine commitment to our community. Rather than rushing into a decision with potentially far-reaching consequences, you have given our city the opportunity to thoroughly evaluate the implications for our electric rates, infrastructure, environment and future development. We applaud each of you for recognizing that progress should be measured not simply by what a city can attract but by whether that development ultimately benefits the people who call it home.
We also believe there is a larger question worth examining before any permanent decision is made: Hypothetically, what would happen if Delaware did not have a single data center? What would that mean for Elon Musk and his technology ventures, for Microsoft, for Anthropic and for the broader technology industry? Could these organizations continue to thrive without data centers in our state, given their ability to operate across the country and around the world? These are important questions, and the answers deserve careful research, rather than assumptions. We are not suggesting that data centers have no place in our future but rather that their benefits, costs and long-term consequences must be objectively evaluated before taxpayers and utility customers are asked to shoulder potential burdens. Thank you for demonstrating the wisdom to pause, the courage to ask questions and the foresight to make informed decisions. Dover is fortunate to have elected officials willing to listen, deliberate and put the community first. You have our sincere respect and appreciation for your service to our city.
Steve and Cassandra LeBoon
Dover
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
