SHOW DESCRIPTION (RSS):

In Episode 9 of Gaslit: The Power of Story, Indiana State Representative Alex Burton explains what it looks like when an elected official refuses to disappear into the political bubble. Born and raised in Evansville, Burton stays rooted in the neighborhoods he serves — carrying stories of working families, seniors, and struggling households directly into the State House.

This conversation covers affordability, rising utility bills, food insecurity, housing instability, and the long-term consequences of a state government that keeps prioritizing redistricting and corporate incentives over basic human needs. Burton shares how storytelling from real constituents is shaping his legislative approach, how gaps in the local safety net continue to widen, and what it will take to build coalitions across Indiana’s cities to push for authentic reform.

If you want to understand what’s happening in southern Indiana — and what real political accountability sounds like — this episode is essential listening.

SHOW NOTES:

• Guest: Rep. Alex Burton, Indiana House District 77
• Topics discussed:• Food insecurity and collapsing local safety nets• Rising utility bills and systemic affordability failures• The legislative blindspots driving today’s crisis• Data centers, AI, and long-term economic pressure• Housing instability, aging infrastructure, and the cost of survival• Storytelling as political leverage and coalition-building
• Follow Rep. Burton:• Facebook: AB for EV• Instagram: @in77rep_alexburton
• Presented by: Gaslit: The Power of Story
• Available wherever you listen to podcasts

Episode 8 – Data Centers, Power Bills, and the Future of Indiana

In this episode of Gaslit: The Power of Story, Tommy talks with the Citizens Action Coalition — Ryan Stratman, Ben Inskeep, and Bryce Gustafson — about the rapid rise of hyperscale AI data centers in Indiana and what they mean for affordability, energy use, water demand, and long-term costs on households.

These new facilities aren’t the data centers Indiana is used to. They can use hundreds to thousands of megawatts of electricity — in some cases more power than entire cities — and may require expensive new infrastructure that could ultimately shift costs onto ratepayers. We break down:

• How AI-driven data centers differ from traditional facilities
• Their projected power demand (comparable to or exceeding steel mills)
• Water use concerns
• Subsidies, tax abatements, and long-term public costs
• Delayed coal retirements and rapid natural gas expansion
• Noise, air pollution, diesel backup systems, and land-use impacts
• How communities across Indiana have already stopped 13 proposed projects
• What residents can do when a project is proposed in their county

Stay informed or get involved with Citizens Action Coalition at citact.org.

All episodes, transcripts, and articles are at: https://fireside.evansville.edu/gaslit

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In this episode of Gaslit: The Power of Story, Tommy sits down with Cindi Clayton, a University of Southern Indiana instructor, longtime child-advocacy leader, and candidate for the Indiana State Senate. Cindi talks openly about her “why”: watching students work hard, get the degree, land the job — and still not be able to afford to live in Evansville. She traces how Indiana’s utility monopoly, legislative decisions, cuts to public schools, and the collapse of child-protection funding converge into one affordability crisis affecting families, children, seniors, and nonprofits across our region.

We discuss her refusal to take money from energy companies, her belief in servant leadership, and what real transparency and accountability could look like for southwestern Indiana.

Learn more about Cindi:

https://www.cindiforsenate.com/

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