Week in Review: Data center facts vs. fiction

It’s an undeniable fact—data centers are now economic engines and indispensable infrastructure that power the digital world. And it’s no accident that Arizona has emerged as a critical data center hub. In a new report, the Goldwater Institute is urging Arizona leaders to maintain that competitive advantage by embracing free-market principles and resisting the growing fear-based municipal backlash to data centers.

The report, Data Centers: A Free Market Model for the Digital Future, corrects common misconceptions about data centers and makes the case that local restrictions do more harm than good. “Arizona is thriving as a leader in data centers, the state is reaping the economic benefits, and policymakers must take steps to ensure that continues,” says William Beard, Municipal Affairs Liaison at the Goldwater Institute and co-author of the report.

The Goldwater Institute has long advocated for economic freedom and property rights, and those principles apply to data centers as well. The question isn’t whether data centers will continue to exist, but whether Arizona will remain a leader in the industry.

Read more here.

100,000 ESA Students!

It’s National School Choice Week, and Arizona has 100,000 reasons to celebrate this year. More than 100,000 students are now utilizing the state’s universal Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program—a Goldwater Institute invention—to escape failing schools and to get an education that works best for them.

No child should be trapped in a failing school because of their zip code or their family’s income. That’s why Goldwater developed ESAs (also known as education savings accounts), a school choice reform that allows families to access state funding to provide their kids with an education tailored to their needs. More than 20 states have adopted Goldwater’s ESA program, and that number is growing.

It’s parents—not politicians—who know their children best. That’s why the Goldwater Institute remains committed to empowering parents to raise their kids without state interference and to ensure they receive the education they deserve.

Read more here.

Webinar: Calling All Freedom-Loving Students!

Are you a student or recent graduate interested in turning your passion for freedom and liberty into a career? Do you know a student who is interested in getting professional experience in the liberty movement? If so, then tune in to the Goldwater Institute’s upcoming webinar exploring Goldwater’s Ronald Reagan Fellowship program.

The webinar—hosted by Goldwater staffers and Reagan Fellow alums Fiona Baum and Cameron Teel—will feature a conversation about career paths, mentorship, and hands-on experience through the Reagan Fellowship. Participants will learn about the range of opportunities at the Goldwater Institute and come away with a better understanding of how to prepare for a long-term career in public policy and advocacy.

Mark your calendars—the webinar will be at noon (Arizona time/ 2 p.m. Eastern) on Feb. 26. And prepare to learn how you or a student you know can empower Americans to live freer, happier lives, as a Goldwater Institute Ronald Reagan Fellow.

Read more here.