The Real Story – A Column
One of the hottest local stories the Hillsboro Herald is covering is the Data Center Moratorium petition, put forth by Hillsboro (Oregon) City Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair, who is a candidate for Washington County Commissioner. She was joined on this matter by Senate Bill 15 candidate Myrna Mynoz, who is running to unseat Senator Janeen Sollman, and Dr. Tammy Carpenter, who is running for State Rep. Let the record show for all time that these brave leaders, despite being attacked and censored, stepped up first and spoke: “Truth to Power”. Only they had the guts to take the idea to stop Data Centers in Washington County and go on the record. A ground swell around this petition, and their bravery is happening- and that is good. But now others are stepping in to support it. They are all welcome, as no one in power has done anything substantive on this matter until Sinclair, Munoz, and Carpenter took action.
Here is a video of Councilor Harris from the end of the 4/21/26 City Council meeting. Rob is a retired attorney who has joined Sinclair and Munoz in asking for the City Staff to look into this matter. His voice is a very important one, and his technical expertise in terms of the law, how a Moratorium could work, is crucial. He is level-headed, cares for people, and I think he sees the pubic response and wants to make sure the public is heard. Having said that, Harris made it clear that he is still in favor of the massive land-use expansions that Mayor Beach Pace and Senator Janeen Sollman lobbied for this year as part of the failed and contentious Senate Bill 1586. That proposal would have allowed for Data Centers of any scale, provided that they did not “stand alone” on a parcel.
Sinclair commented on Harris’s statement on the record, who was called on first by Mayor Pace, pre-empting her chance to bring the report on the petition and a call for a Moratorium to the Council. Nonetheless, Sinclair was positive about what Councilman Harris did.
“I appreciate that President Harris has expressed support for a moratorium on Data Centers in Hillsboro,” said Sinclair in response to our message this AM. “Nearly three weeks ago, Myrna Munoz, Tammy Capenter, and I called for a Washington County-wide moratorium. Since then, our petition has gathered 2,300 signatures in a short time.”
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Another candidate for office who has come out against Data Centers since the Petition for the moratorium was issued is Juan Carlos Gonzalez. He called for Data Centers to be taxed and for other restrictions on them at both a Hillsboro Town Hall and on his Social Media. He is running for the head of METRO, and, if elected, his policies and initiatives will carry significant legal weight. The Herald has reached out to “JCG,” as he is known in some circles, for comment, and we have not yet received any additional feedback as of yet.
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The Herald will track all leaders who step forward on this important matter, as well as the issues surrounding power, land use, and other impacts.
I’ve been asking the city of Hillsboro to post their city council meetings on YouTube for the people who cannot attend and would love to watch on a big screen as Beaverton post theirs, Washington County post meetings. The “livestream” them but why not keep them up for the citizens to watch after the fact?
Interesting that Hillsboro is setting a precedent with this moratorium. Do you think other areas will follow suit?
This does not surprise me- Hillsboro is out of power for now- so this is a no brainer. And the people running for office who did nothing to stop them, now can use this to look good. It will be temporary but I am hopful we can tip the scales to the people. I am glad Rob Harris jumped in! There is no way to open a new Data Center until the power bottleneck gets solved!
Thanks for commenting!
JCG will say what he needs to say in order to get elected. I was in the room during his testimony in favor of SB1586 (before the “stand-alone” ammendment). His actions speak louder than his words…
Yes, I agree. I have asked him for comments and he has not provided any regarding how he sees a Tax working. He has no details – and we know what he did and what he said. The worst sort of leader is one who uses sound bites from the populace he/she is monitoring, and uses it for political momentum but in actuality does nothing about it. Talk is cheap- actions are all that ever matters! Thank you for engaging!
I have a similar concern with JCG — I have been following him and admire him in general. I believe he does care, recognize and is speaking against the financial burdens this type of development puts on citizens.
Yet, I also saw at the time he was in favor of
SB1586. I even private messaged him on Facebook expressing my disappointment. A statement from him is Needed. Is he listening to the community and has he changed his mind. I think that is possible. I’m going to message him again.
Quite from https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/oregon-lawmakers-consider-adding-300-acres-into-urban-growth-boundary-for-tech-jobs/
“While some local leaders oppose passing the bill now, Hillsboro Mayor Beach Pace is encouraging lawmakers to pass the legislation, testifying, “Working with (Metro Councilor Juan Carlos González) and our partners at Metro, we reached a compromise: bring a portion of these lands into the UGB now for near-term job creation, while placing the majority into urban reserve to be considered later through Metro’s established process…”
And Beach has no proof that she or the City “worked” with anyone- let along METRO.
Impressively he responded almost immediately to my Facebook private message:
“Thanks! I definitely am trying to keep up with the requests for information and getting back to people. And I always have been against data centers, I’ve been trying to tell that story.”
To my message:
“I see you are now speaking against Data centers — their tax breaks and that they should pay more for PGE, due to the burden they put on the system. Financial burdens shifted to residents.
I strongly agree.
Similar to what I messaged you above.
I’m in Hillsboro and read Dirk Knudsen’s Hillsboro Herald article on this and where candidates stand.
He would like a statement from you directly, as you also, seemingly contradictorily, supported SB1586.
I realize it says “no stand alone data centers” but in a city that already has nearly 30, seems our electrical grid is near/at capacity, costs if those and city of Hillsboro sewer and surface water management rates are increasing excessively (8-20% yearly, planned already for next 5 years) AND seems 10 more are lined up in the Que,
This is Not reassuring.
Dirk Knudsen, life long Hillsboro resident, & real estate agent is the most knowledgeable person about Hillsboro.
Please talk to him.
Thank-You”
Not only does this seem more like PGE’s. moratorium than Hillsboro’s, but it seems that neither the city nor Metro learned anything from the public response to SB1586. Saying “data centers” multiple times in a statement as if summoning a political Candyman means little if you aren’t willing to address the lackluster history of land use and job creation that brought them to the city in the first place.
They and that legislation’s supporters have spent the better part of 2026 on defense and haven’t presented a strong case for their continued support of the measure or their quest for land outside of the boundary. They also haven’t taken any notes from their opposition and reached out to those beyond investors groups who’d be directly impacted by that decision.
They underestimate the political literacy of these constituents at their peril and are woefully misreading the room.
In an unvelievable move, Senator Sollman took to IG last night (https://www.instagram.com/p/DXdY6PYCIqx/) and actually took credit for leading the way on Data Center moratorium efforts. She used what Rob Harris did and stated he was taking her efforts forward. After literally opposing the Governor’s Bill 4084-C, which is fact does have a moratorium, she is now stealing the efforts of Myrna, Kipperlyn, and Tammy Carpenter. I mean you can not write this stuff- So much to think about. There is a lot more going on here than some butt hurt land owners and a selfie queen worried about her seat.
Wow!!! And also to your reply above about no evidence pace worked with Metro on this. I need to redouble my efforts to inform my friends and make sure they Vote!! Thanks for the info, I’m remembering.
Parking data centers across the street from me and my neighbors until PGE says you’re frying the lines isn’t “leading the way” on a moratorium: It’s being told that your best-laid plans just went astray. Also, this is more transparent that the triple-pane glass they’re installing on the lobby of that lonely Van Rose facility—the plan is to, once again, say “see, no data centers here,” hope the voters buy it this time, and then yank the 1586 acreage in on the promise of no “standalone” data centers.
In the meantime, there’s still no justification for bringing the land in, no indication that doing so will result in any permanent employment in the county, and no addressing the concerns of the people back here who actually still care about farming the land and not getting run off the road by delivery trucks for their troubles.
I don’t know who they think this fools, but taking the exact same position that you held while pushing 1586 isn’t a change of heart—it’s just using a utility as cover and hoping you’re using just enough language to sneak this all by your increasingly unimpressed constituency.
Am I missing something? I don’t see any way to sign the petition.
This was on a previous article. I think this article connects to Instagram — which I don’t have and can’t open. Perhaps you’re the same.
https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/data-center-moratorium-petition