Loading page…
The recall is the third election loss for an Independence official who backed the incentives, while a city pause on future projects does not affect Nebius’s approved plan.
Listen to this story
Independence’s fight over Nebius’s proposed AI data center has produced a notable political cost: councilmember John Perkins was recalled after supporting more than $6 billion in incentives. Two other backers, Bridget McCandless and Jared Fears, also later lost bids for office, while Nebius’s project remains authorized under the city’s rules.
Unofficial results showed nearly 70% of Perkins’s district voted to remove him.
The incentive package covered a proposed Nebius facility described as a $150 billion project.
More than 50 residents addressed the council before the tax breaks passed in March.
Independence, Missouri, voters recalled City Councilmember John Perkins after his vote for tax breaks tied to Nebius’s proposed AI data center. Nearly 70% of his district supported removal, according to unofficial Jackson County results.
In March, Perkins was one of five council members who voted for more than $6 billion in tax breaks for Nebius. The planned Independence facility was described as a $150 billion AI data-center project.
Opposition was already visible at the council meeting: more than 50 community members attended and spoke before the tax breaks passed. A local Sunrise Movement chapter also organized a letter-writing campaign urging residents to oppose the incentives and stop the project.
Before the recall, Perkins wrote that voters should judge his full record and said he stood by the data-center decision. He argued that disagreement with the vote was not grounds to overturn an election held two years earlier. He had not responded to NBC News’ request for comment on the recall when it published.
Independence has approved a temporary 180-day moratorium on new data-center and battery energy storage system applications, permits and licenses. The city says it is a pause, not a ban, intended to allow a review of current rules and potential updates.
The restriction does not halt Nebius’s project because it had already been submitted to, authorized or approved by the city. The review covers zoning, building, fire, business licensing, development and public-safety considerations for future facilities.
NBC News characterized opposition to data centers as an issue influencing candidates and races nationwide ahead of the November midterms. Independence adds a concrete example: three officials who backed this incentive package subsequently lost elections, while the project itself remains outside the city’s current moratorium.
Loading discussion...
Be the first to share a perspective or an experience.
Reader comments
Newest comments first. Replies stay oldest first.