Monet S. Wilson

I support responsible technology and economic development, but I do not support placing large-scale data centers in residential neighborhoods or immediately adjacent to homes, schools, and other sensitive uses. Data centers can create investment and jobs, but those benefits should not come at the expense of residents through higher utility bills, excessive water use, constant noise, traffic, or diminished quality of life.

I would support statewide minimum siting standards while preserving strong local control. Those standards should include meaningful setbacks and buffers from residential property, public notice and hearings before approval, independent assessments of electricity, water, noise, traffic, and environmental impacts, and disclosure of projected energy and water consumption before construction begins. Illinois lawmakers are already considering proposals that would strengthen municipal authority over data-center siting and require greater energy and water disclosure.

Most importantly, residents should not subsidize the enormous infrastructure demands created by private data centers. I would support requiring the Illinois Commerce Commission to establish data-center-specific utility rates that ensure these facilities pay the costs of new substations, transmission, distribution upgrades, generation capacity, and other infrastructure needed primarily because of their demand. Those expenses should not simply be shifted onto residential customers. I also support exploring a data-center affordability fund, financed by large data-center operators rather than households, to help offset residential energy costs and expand efficiency and weatherization programs. A similar public-benefits and affordability concept has already been proposed in Illinois legislation.

Water protections must be just as strong. Large facilities should disclose water consumption, demonstrate that adequate supplies exist before approval, prioritize recycled or non-potable water where feasible, and have conservation plans for drought or water shortage conditions.

I believe Illinois must protect its research institutions while continuing to aggressively pursue federal dollars. Our universities, hospitals, laboratories, and research institutions depend heavily on agencies such as NIH and NSF, and institutions like the University of Illinois have already been planning for uncertainty in federal research funding.

As a State Representative, I would support creating an Illinois Research Continuity and Matching Fund to help universities and nonprofit research institutions bridge temporary federal funding gaps and provide state matching dollars when those funds make Illinois more competitive for major federal grants. I would also support expanding programs that connect universities with Illinois businesses. Illinois is already investing $3 million in its Innovation Vouchers Program to support research partnerships between companies and Illinois institutions of higher education; I would build on that model.

Federal research opportunities have not disappeared—for example, NSF announced more than $1.5 billion in new foundational research opportunities in August 2026, but Illinois must position its researchers to compete successfully for every available dollar.

I support helping Illinois farmers adapt to changing weather patterns through practical incentives rather than mandates that make farming more expensive. I would expand state support for soil-health practices such as cover crops, no-till and strip-till farming, improved drainage and water management, and drought- and flood-resilient infrastructure. Illinois already has programs that provide financial incentives for cover crops and conservation practices, and I would work to protect and expand those investments.

I also support incentives that allow farmers to participate in renewable energy without taking productive farmland out of agricultural use unnecessarily. That can include on-farm solar, energy-efficient equipment, battery storage, methane recovery, and other technologies that help lower operating costs while creating additional income opportunities.

At the same time, farmers need affordable crop insurance, access to emergency assistance after extreme weather, stronger local water infrastructure, and continued agricultural research so producers have better seed varieties and farming practices for changing conditions.

My approach is to make resilience economically worthwhile. Farmers should not be forced to choose between protecting their land, keeping their operations profitable, and adapting to changing weather. State policy should help them do all three.

I start with facts, not politics. I look at the research, talk to people with subject-matter expertise, compare credible sources, and ask how a policy will affect everyday people before I make a decision.

A good example is renewable energy. I support it, but after looking at issues surrounding large data centers, including energy demand, water use, noise, and potential costs to residents, my position became more specific. I support renewable-energy development, but I also believe we need strong protections so residential communities and utility customers are not asked to carry the burden of someone else’s economic development.

As Chair of Health, Education and Welfare, I see this as both a public health and education issue. My approach is prevention, clear information, and coordination, not panic. Illinois has already seen measles outbreaks in 2026, and IDPH continues to stress vaccination, rapid reporting, and close coordination with local health departments and providers.

I would work with IDPH, local health departments, epidemiologists, physicians, school districts, and community organizations to identify areas with lower vaccination rates, expand access to vaccines, and make sure families receive accurate information from trusted medical professionals. I also support using data tools, including school vaccination coverage and outbreak modeling, to target resources where they are most needed.

As HEW Chair, I believe good public policy means bringing the experts to the table early, listening to the science, communicating clearly with residents, and making sure our schools and communities have a coordinated plan before an outbreak becomes a crisis.