Welcome to Curated Morning. A compendium of news, information, and stories that economic development professionals, community development leaders and elected officials read every week to stay in touch with what is happening in our economy.

The Main Thing:

In 2020, I wrote that it's lonely at the top. In 2026, it's lonely everywhere. But I want to be clear, loneliness is not solitude. Solitude is a choice, a practice, something I seek out the way I seek out meditation. Everyone should try it. It's where clarity lives.

Loneliness is what happens when the connection you need isn't there — when you reach out, and nothing reaches back. That's the condition I'm writing about. This is Part 1 of a series revisiting leadership, loneliness, and what happens when a nation loses faith in the institutions that once held it together.

I’m doing ok, but I worry. I’m of a certain age where many things don’t bother me anymore. Years ago, when I didn’t like where things were headed, say politically or policy-wise, I could just wait it out. That is what I would tell myself and others. The pendulum of life swings from left to right…consistently. The pendulum is swung far to the right, got stuck, and is now gyrating in crazy, never-before-seen ways.

That’s the only thing that bothers me about today’s situation. It’s certainly not good for our communities and economic development. But economic developers have always been, by nature and training, an optimistic bunch. Let’s continue that characteristic and add in some love, joy, and most importantly, justice.

Read What I Got Right in 2020 (And What I Missed) here​

Focus On Data Centers

Three articles on Data Centers are featured this week. Here are the three top takeaways based on a comprehensive review of all three articles:

Three Top Takeaways:

1. Tax structures are creating rural subsidy mechanisms – Wisconsin's Tax Incremental District system locks data center property tax revenue away from general community tax bases for up to 20 years, forcing rural residents to fund infrastructure upgrades while developer contributions remain isolated, turning well-intentioned financing tools into explosive political liabilities when applied to hyperscale digital infrastructure.
2. State legislatures are preempting local control – 57% of county leaders now spend significant meeting time on data center proposals, yet states are responding to economic development competition by threatening to override municipal authority entirely rather than strengthening local regulatory capacity, forcing economic developers to choose between community self-determination and state-level competitive positioning.
3. Rural communities are becoming energy sacrifice zones – Infrastructure projects like Texas's Howard-Solstice Transmission Line carve permanent corridors through pristine landscapes to serve distant industrial operations with zero local electricity benefits, no benefit-sharing provisions, and no meaningful community input, creating a new category of sacrifice zones where rural areas bear disproportionate costs while state and corporate actors capture concentrated benefits.

The Data Center Rebellion: Counties Fight to Keep Control as State Legislators Circle ​
​

A surprising trend is emerging as state legislatures reconvene in 2026: lawmakers are moving to constrain local authority over data center approvals, just as community opposition reaches critical mass. Florida State Rep. Philip Griffitts has filed legislation requiring data center projects to receive both local public hearing approval and subsequent state-level authorization, while explicitly prohibiting utilities from passing infrastructure costs to residential and commercial ratepayers through electricity or water bills. This follows Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's AI Bill of Rights proposal protecting consumers from subsidizing data center development, and Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger's campaign promises to control energy bills and force data center operators to pay their fair share of infrastructure costs.

The National Association of Counties reports that 57% of county leaders have dedicated meeting time to discussing data centers and energy-intensive projects, reflecting widespread concern about power consumption, water usage, noise impacts, and neighborhood effects.

In Prince William County, power consumption remains the sticking point that galvanizes opposition. The county leveraged its negotiating position to secure community benefits including parkland, trails, fire stations, and libraries, while requiring data centers to mitigate light pollution and relocate backup generators to reduce noise.

Why This Matters: A critical inflection point for economic developers is where the balance between local autonomy and economic opportunity hangs in the balance, with state governments increasingly tempted to override local decision-making authority to capture data center investments.

Economic developers should recognize that the debate has shifted from whether communities will accept data centers to who controls the approval process and how infrastructure costs are allocated, making procedural authority as important as incentive packages in determining competitive positioning. Dougherty County Commissioner Clinton Johnson's suggestion to rebrand data centers as "digital manufacturing" or "AI manufacturing" highlights the importance of narrative framing in building public support, noting that the term "manufacturing" carries more positive connotations than "data centers" in many communities.

Take Action:

1. Assess state legislative threats – Immediately review your state legislature's current session agenda to identify any bills that could limit local authority over data center siting and approval, then mobilize your local government partners to protect decision-making autonomy before preemptive legislation advances.
2. Develop comprehensive ordinances – Create data center ordinances that address siting requirements, appearance standards, noise mitigation, water consumption, power infrastructure, and mandatory community benefit proffers before projects arrive, ensuring your community maintains negotiating leverage rather than reacting to proposals
3. Convene stakeholder meetings – Bring together utility providers, environmental organizations, neighborhood groups, and business leaders to establish shared expectations around data center development before the first project arrives, building consensus on acceptable trade-offs between economic benefits and community impacts.
4. Reframe the narrative – Consider adopting Johnson's strategy by positioning data centers as "digital manufacturing facilities" or "AI production campuses" in your marketing materials and public communications, emphasizing job creation and advanced manufacturing rather than using terminology that triggers environmental and infrastructure concerns.

Read Counties wrestle with data centers’ power consumption by Chris Teale, Managing Editor, | Route Fifty

Two more articles on Data Centers:

​Amid the AI-driven boom in energy demand, rural Texans fight a high-voltage transmission line by Madeline de Figueiredo, I The Daily Yonder -- Texas’s most powerful transmission line threatens pristine river basins and family ranches. Locals and conservationists are fighting to reroute it.

​
​Rural Wisconsin has become a hotspot for data centers. State’s unique tax instrument explains why by Julia Tilton | RouteFifty - Concerns over transparency, tax policy, and data centers’ utility usage drive many rural residents to oppose planned developments.

Other Articles of Interest this week:

Green Economy -- India’s massive near-2GW green hydrogen project officially begins construction by Polly Martin | Hydrogen Insight -- Foundation stone laid for AM Green’s facility in Kakinada, east India, which is set to be the biggest in India and second-largest in the world

Technology -- Tesla kills Autopilot, locks lane-keeping behind $99/month fee by Jonathan M. Gitlin | ARS Technica -- With falling sales and shrinking profits, the recurring revenue will be most welcome.

​
​AI -- Meta pauses teen access to AI characters ahead of new version by Ivan Mehta | TechCrunch -- Meta today said that it is pausing teens’ access to its AI characters globally across all its apps. The company mentioned that it is not abandoning its efforts but wants to develop an updated version of AI characters for teens, the company exclusively told TechCrunch.

How to do Small Business and Entrepreneurial Economic Development

The biggest challenge I have witnessed in my forty-plus years of city management and economic development work is the failure to recognize what small businesses actually need.

Most of my adult life has been spent working with and assisting small businesses to survive, or better yet, thrive. I have made a lot of mistakes along the way, but have also learned a few things that I think make a big difference. I will give you a short list here, along with links to help you nurture and grow your small businesses.

​I always like to use the example of State Farm Insurance, based in Bloomington, Illinois. Whether you like the company or not (maybe they didn’t pay you the claim you thought you deserved), the story of its founder is a lesson in how a small business can not only thrive but also become one of the largest employers in central Illinois, if not the entire state.

Very quickly, George Mecherle was, by his own telling, a failed farmer. After quitting farming and returning from Florida with a sickly spouse, he embarked on a career selling insurance to cover losses for an up-and-coming innovation: the automobile, circa 1920s. He realized that farmers were paying more for insurance because of the recklessness of city drivers. He wanted to start and create an ‘honest’ insurance company.

​The company started with three employees in 1922 and now employs over 10,000 people in the Bloomington-Normal area alone, over 60,000 people across the country, and over 19,200 agents.

One idea, one person, then three, then ten and then one-hundred years later, nearly 80,000. How did this happen?

​Well, it’s likely State Farm grew without the help of a local economic development organization. But that doesn’t mean other businesses couldn’t use help. The question is what kind of help?

​Over the years, I have come to the conclusion that the help economic developers, city managers, chamber of commerce directors, and other well-meaning leaders give is sometimes off-target… well-meaning but missing the point.

Today, one can go to an AI Chatbot and ‘start’ a business or incubate an idea. Will it be successful? Maybe. But being a successful business person takes grit, determination, savvy, and a desire to succeed against all odds.

​What small businesses need is a nurturing community, an environment free from onerous and silly rules and regulations, and a peer-to-peer network of other businesses to help each other. “A rising tide raises all ships,” we like to say, or “Pay it forward” are the phrases we use to justify our work. However, to do that right, it takes thoughtful programs that emphasize self-help and a bootstrapping mentality. After all, that is why entrepreneurs start businesses, freedom and independence.

​In September of 2024, I ran a social media posting blitz called ‘Ninety Days of Small Business Support. Each day, I posted a way communities could nurture and grow their small businesses. Here are a few of what I think are the most effective strategies and tactics:

1. Implementing a tax incentive program for new small businesses (Day 5) -- Implement a tax incentive program for new small businesses to stimulate local economic growth. By offering temporary tax breaks or credits to startups and young companies, you can ease their financial burden during the critical early years. This support not only encourages more entrepreneurs to launch and establish their businesses but also attracts them to your community. Remember, while this may lead to short-term reductions in tax revenue, the long-term benefits of a thriving small business ecosystem can far outweigh the initial costs.
2. Establishing a small business innovation challenge (Day 13) -- Establish a small business innovation challenge to spark creativity and problem-solving in your community. This competition invites local entrepreneurs to propose innovative solutions to specific community issues or business challenges. By offering prizes or seed funding to winners, you're addressing local needs and encouraging entrepreneurial thinking. This initiative can lead to new business formations and help existing businesses pivot or expand creatively.
3. Developing a 'pop-up shop' program for aspiring entrepreneurs (Day 18) -- Nurture new business ideas by developing a 'pop-up shop' program for aspiring entrepreneurs. This initiative provides temporary, low-cost retail spaces for testing business concepts without the long-term commitment of a lease. It allows new entrepreneurs to gauge market interest, refine their offerings, and gain valuable experience. By lowering the barrier to entry, you're encouraging innovation and potentially incubating the next generation of successful local businesses.
4. Creating a local business storytelling campaign (Day 38) -- Highlight the human side of local commerce by creating a business storytelling campaign. Share the journeys, challenges, and successes of local entrepreneurs through various media channels. These stories can foster community pride, build emotional connections between consumers and businesses, and inspire aspiring entrepreneurs. By putting faces to local businesses, you're strengthening the fabric of your local economy.
5. Creating a small business customer service training program (Day 50) -- Enhance the local shopping experience by creating a customer service training program for small businesses. This initiative offers workshops and resources to help local businesses improve their customer service skills. By elevating the level of service across local businesses, you're creating a competitive advantage over big box stores and online retailers. This program can lead to increased customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth for your local business community.

Is there a State Farm in your community? Instead of spending thousands of dollars chasing site location consultants, maybe it’s time to give more than lip service and an occasional BRE visit to your local businesses and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

​
If you are interested in the entire list, email me at martin@martinkarlconsulting.com​

Overheard & Fun Fact:

The Rabbit Hole:

I have a really bad thing I do. It costs me money, but I gain a lot of comfort and free drinks. Well, not technically free, but you will understand in a second. When I fly, which was more common in the past, I tend to pay to upgrade to at least business class, and occasionally first class.

I do this so I can get the free booze you get in business class. Ok, not really, but I do it because the airlines have made flying in coach one of the most uncomfortable but tolerated activities in modern life. Where else would you choose to sit so close to strangers and crying babies? And for us full-figured fellas, it can be nearly intolerable.

I have a nephew who is six foot seven, and he flies for business from time to time, sitting in economy. I'm not sure how he does it. I'm only six foot two, and I can barely stand it.

The problem is that once you do it, it's hard to go back to economy class. So even if I can get a reasonable price on an airline ticket, I am often willing to pay more for an upgrade.

Don't judge, I’m sure some of you spend money on things you don't need. But I need this. Really, I do. Did I mention free booze? It's like first class but without the wide seats and warm nuts.

If you don't do what I do and you live in the world of the proletariat, this article will give you the information you need to decide which airline offers the least comfortable seats.

Once you figure it out, go for the free liquor.

Read U.S. Airlines With the Most (and Least) Comfortable Economy Class in the ‘daily passport’.

More Rabbit Holes:

​“The brilliance of bridges and roads that repair themselves” a TED Talk by Scientist and engineer Mark Miodownik -- Self-healing roads? Maybe a pothole that fills itself? Biodegradable material? Making things that don’t fall apart? All of this is covered in this TED talk.

​I Quit LinkedIn — Here’s Why Smart Entrepreneurs Are Leaving -- The most annoying beginning of a sentence is see on LinkedIn, “I’m thrilled to (fill in the blank).” It is usually a promotion, a new job, or some other self-congratulatory pat on the back. That is why I was thrilled to read this essay. Are you ready to quit LinkedIn? I’m not so sure I can or would.

Thanks for Subscribing and Reading

If you know someone who might enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to share it with them.

If someone forwarded this to you and you would like to subscribe, you can do so by clicking below. All the cool people are doing it!

Let's work together!

With over three decades of experience in economic development, public administration, and small business, I can now bring my expertise to benefit you. What are the issues facing your community? What obstacles are you facing in growing your business? Let's work on this together.

While I am experienced in a wide variety of sectors and issues, here is where my interests lie, and thus where I can benefit you most:

1. Organizational and Leadership Development -- Culture assessment, culture shifts, board and leadership development, mentoring, coaching, strategic planning, innovation, economic development education, and strategic foresight. Click here to schedule a conversation about how we can collaborate on this topic.
2. Small Business Ecosystems -- Start-up environment assessments and benchmarking, scaled peer-to-peer mentoring systems (C7), Incubation, and small business ecosystems design. Click here to schedule a conversation about how we can collaborate on this topic.
3. Personal Transformation -- Transformative personal coaching, training, and education in high-level productivity concepts of Flow, Grit, Resiliency, and leadership. Additionally, leadership masterminds cater to both new leaders and wise elders. Click here to schedule a conversation about how we can collaborate on this topic.

If you have any thoughts or comments regarding any articles in this newsletter please feel free to contact me through email at martin@martinkarlconsulting.com.​

You can review my services and offerings at www.martinkarlconsulting.com​