Harwood Mayor Blake Hankey was unequivocal Monday night in opposing the city of Fargo’s overtures to annex land between the two cities where a $3 billion data center is being built:

“Back off!” Hankey told Fargo city commissioners. “ We don’t want Fargo’s help. We didn’t ask for Fargo’s help, and we want to be left alone.”

The candid comments directed at elected leaders of North Dakota’s largest city by the mayor of a small town 5 miles north of Fargo highlight the David vs. Goliath battle for tax revenue when a multi-billion-dollar business quickly announces plans to plop down a data center in the middle of no-man’s land.

Harwood leaders say that land is within their extraterritorial growth area and it should reap the tax rewards. Fargo leaders argue the big city started the annexati

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