Nevada bill would allow Big Tech companies to create separate local governments

Planned legislation to establish new flourishing business areas in the state of Nevada would allow technology companies to form separate local governments. 

A Big Tech takeover, so to speak. 

Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a plan to launch “Innovation Zones” in the Silver State to jumpstart the economy by attracting technology firms, the Associated Press reports. 

The so-called “innovation zones” would allow companies with large areas of land to form their own mini governments that carry the same authority as counties, including the ability to impose taxes, form school districts and courts and provide government services. 

Though this may sound like a plot to a sci-fi movie, it’s not. It’s real life, and it may happen. 

The measure to grow economic development with the “alternative form of local government” has not yet been introduced in the Legislature, though Sisolak pitched the concept in his State of the State address delivered January 19. 

The plan would bring in new business at the forefront of “groundbreaking technologies” without the use of tax abatements or other publicly funded incentive packages, according to the Associated Press. 

And companies are already showing interest. 

Sisolak named Blockchains, LLC as one that has committed to developing a “smart city” once the legislation passes. 

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development would oversee applications for the zones, which would be limited to specific business areas including blockchain, autonomous technology, the Internet of Things, robotics, artificial intelligence, wireless, biometrics and renewable resource technology.  

Applicants must have at least 78 square miles of undeveloped, uninhabited land, and the zones would operate with the oversight of their location counties, but would eventually take over and become independent government bodies. 

Big Tech on the verge of becoming big government: a truly scary concept.