Illinois Governor JB Pritzker ordered a pause on state tax incentives for data centers, citing legislation that stalled efforts to raise electricity rates tied to data-center demand. Pritzker said the projects are asking “too much” for too little in return, including pressure on utility bills and local resources. The move follows Ohio’s earlier pause, and it comes amid community pushback that has delayed or canceled development projects totaling about $64 billion, according to industry research cited in the coverage. Organized labor groups criticized the pause, arguing it would shift investment and jobs to neighboring states. For higher ed leaders with campuses pursuing AI infrastructure partnerships, the policy signal is clear: state incentives and utility pricing rules for high-load computing are becoming more contested, potentially affecting timelines and the cost basis for campus and regional research computing.