The mayor of Shelbyville, Indiana, says only people who live in “shitty houses” are opposed to data centers

Suggested A $2 billion data center It became a political flashpoint in the small town of Shelbyville, Indiana. The controversy became more intense after Scott Ferguson became mayor Caught on camera “I’ve seen a lot of these around town, but I only see them in dirty houses,” he says of the “No Data Center” signs that appear, before adding: “Most of them are rented.”

The woman speaking to him in the clip quickly backtracks and says they’re “working class,” and one of them interjects to add something a mayor shouldn’t tell him about his constituents: “It doesn’t matter if they’re renters, they’re still people.”

Shelbyville residents understandably so taken Suddenly Through the dismissive language used by Forgeson towards his constituents. Alexas Williams called the mayor’s words “kind of disrespectful” and “kind of hurtful” when speaking to her local NBC affiliate. WTHR.

The mayor declined to comment further, though a spokesman for the mayor’s office did Issue a statement “The mayor regrets that his choice of words may have caused offense,” he said.