State Sen. Rosemarie Brown (PA-40), now running for re-election, was quoted in the September 10-16 edition of this newspaper. She called out Gov. Josh Shapiro for being slow to put stronger rules on data centers, suggesting that a moratorium, as was done in New York by Gov. Kathy Hochul, was an option. 

Sen. Brown should (and probably does) know that the only body in Pennsylvania that can enact stronger rules on data centers (a moratorium) is the state legislature. Article 1, section 12 of the Pennsylvania Constitution states, “No power of suspending laws shall be exercised unless by the Legislature or by its authority.” 

Sounds to me as if she is trying to misinform her constituents about the moratorium issue and is implying that the governor is complicit with data center developers. She is now campaigning to introduce a bill to establish a moratorium, but for some reason her colleagues in the Republican-controlled Senate have not moved the bill forward. I wonder why. 

Her comments on the data centers as well as other issues in this campaign need full scrutiny before casting your ballot in PA-40.

Barbara Leo
Honesdale, PA