Local
At two Dixie County Commission meetings on September 3, 2026 every resident raised their hand objecting to data centers. The county faces an $800,000 budget shortfall, a closed fire station, and a fire department that lost eight paramedics and one EMT over the summer.
NewsOnScale Staff
September 3, 2026
At two Dixie County Board of County Commissioners meetings on September 3, 2026 — one covering the budget and one covering tax assessments — residents were asked whether they objected to data center development in the county. Every person in the room raised their hand.
The commissioners did not halt data center discussions.
What Happened at the Meetings
The September 3 meetings covered the county budget including a reported $800,000 shortfall that commissioners attributed in part to delayed federal hurricane relief payments.
The budget shortfall has real consequences for public safety. According to Dixie County Fire Chief Darian Brown the department lost eight paramedics and one EMT over the course of the summer. One more paramedic resigned on September 2, 2026 — the day before tonight's meetings — and the fire chief believes more resignations will follow. The resignations temporarily closed the fire station in Old Town. Some paramedics have since returned but Brown says more employees are leaving and the problem is not solved. The department also lost a backup ambulance and engine as a result of the staffing losses.
A resident asked commissioners directly whether they have financial investments in or are receiving payments from data center companies. Not all commissioners responded to the question. The county attorney also did not answer the question. This is the second consecutive public meeting at which that question has gone unanswered. At a prior meeting the same question was raised and the county attorney did not respond then either.
The microphone system at the meeting did not function properly making it difficult for attendees to hear speakers clearly.
The Data Center Question
Dixie County has been discussing data center development. Residents who attended tonight's meetings made their position clear — every person present raised their hand when asked if they objected.
Data centers carry significant implications for rural counties including substantial electrical infrastructure demands, water consumption for cooling, road traffic from construction and operations, and the long term character of agricultural and rural land.
At a prior meeting JJ Johnson — Dixie County resident and declared 2028 presidential candidate — offered the commission a proposal: one percent equity in AMILLI AI, CORP plus revenue sharing if the commission helped secure a local building for the company. The commission did not act on the proposal.
The Budget and Public Safety
The $800,000 shortfall and its impact on fire protection raises a direct question for county residents paying the fire protection special assessment — if residents are assessed for fire protection services and the county is still $800,000 short with a closed fire station and a depleted department, where is the assessment money going and is the county delivering the service residents are paying for.
Under Florida Supreme Court precedent established in Sarasota County v. Sarasota Church of Christ, Inc., 667 So.2d 180 (Fla. 1995) a special assessment must provide a direct special benefit to assessed properties. Whether residents are receiving that benefit when fire protection services have been reduced to this degree is a legitimate question for the public record.
What Comes Next
NewsOnScale will be submitting a public records request to Dixie County for all communications between county commissioners, the county attorney, and any data center company or representative. Florida law requires a response within a reasonable time.
Those records — when received — will be reported here.
DISCLOSURE: JJ Johnson is the founder of AMILLI AI, CORP, which operates NewsOnScale, and is a Dixie County resident and declared candidate for President of the United States in 2028. JJ Johnson attended the September 3 meetings described in this article. The account of meeting events is based on his firsthand observation.