Flip-Flopping Kevin Hertel Changes His Tune on Data Centers
Lansing, MI – Yesterday, state Senator Kevin Hertel released a statement criticizing data centers and bragging about a series of bills he has introduced to regulate them in Michigan. But, it was originally Hertel himself who introduced the law giving data centers tax breaks and encouraging them to come to Michigan:
He was so proud of his legislation that he took to social media to brag about how it would “help bring large-scale data centers to Michigan.”
Not only did Hertel brag on social media about his corporate handout to data centers, he even won an award for the work. He was so proud of the work he did and the award he received that he said, “As our world becomes increasingly digitalized, making Michigan a competitive hub for data centers is just good policy. I am incredibly honored to be recognized as MEDA’s 2025 Legislative Economic Development Champion for this work.”
He also joined his Democrat colleagues in the Michigan House – like Jaime Churches and Jim Haadsma – voting for even more tax exemptions for data centers. Under the legislation passed by the Democrat trifecta, data centers can apply to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s corporate handout machine – the Michigan Strategic Fund – for tax breaks on the Use Tax and the Sales Tax.
Sadly, this is not the first time Flip-Flopping Kevin Hertel has changed his tune on issues that matter to his constituents. Earlier this year, Hertel was criticized for changing his vote multiple times on whether to fund upgrades for Selfridge Air National Guard Base, which provides jobs and security to his district.
“Kevin Hertel will always change with the political winds, even if it means being dishonest, disingenuous, or just hypocritical,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “Now that his own record is unpopular, he’s going to pretend that he was always against data centers because he has no principles. He stands for nothing, especially not the people of Macomb County.”
