March 19th, 2026, St. Louis City State Rep. Marty Joe Murray bravely *cough cough* sent a letter of neutrality (not really) on data centers to something called “the Zoning Committee” in Room 400 at City Hall.

He failed to cite the specific data center Conditional Use Permit before the City’s Zoning Section and Board of Public Service, a proposal for a hyperscale data center at the failed Armory redevelopment in Midtown.

The permit was applied for by Deadbeat Developer Phil Hulse, Greenstreet, who owes $3,095,346.08 in property taxes on the proposed data center site as well as Greenstreet’s headquarters (3660, 3728 & 3852 Market St., 500 Prospect & 4565 McRee).

Murray wrote, “Data centers are critical infrastructure for the modern economy. The question before us is not whether they should exist, but whether they will be built responsibly. We can welcome investment while still protecting the health, affordability, and stability of our neighborhoods.”

“I am not asking this committee to slow progress. I am asking that we guide it with intention. That we ensure the benefits are shared and the burdens are not unfairly imposed”

I have no idea how anyone reads those two paragraphs as other that support for data centers slathered in economic development bullshit but the City has his letter labeled as “neutral”.

The City’s bizarre Conditional Use Permit process involves a hearing before the Zoning Division followed by a vote of the Board of Public Service. Members of BPS are mayoral patronage cabinet level appointees who owe their jobs to Mayor Cara Spencer. BPS does not attend Zoning Division hearings.

The five hour Deadbeat Developer Data Center Hearing was held March 19th, same day as Murray’s letter is dated.

BPS will vote on the proposal at their Meeting at 1:45 pm Tuesday, March 31st. It is expected that they will rubberstamp the proposal.

As of 5 pm Monday, March 30th, no one has filed to run against Murray for the 78th District House seat. Tho I don’t know why anyone would. It’s a shitty time to be in the minority party in Missouri and Murray has lobbyist/PAC friends to fund his re-election campaign because he is a reliable vote.

Candidate filing for Missouri House and Senate occurs in Jefferson City. The Deadline for filing is 5 pm Tuesday, March 31st.