Don’t Punish Cities For Not Recognizing New State Flag

ST. PAUL – Should cities and counties be financially punished for refusing to fly the new Minnesota state flag? Minnesota House Democrats say yes, as a new bill would reduce state funding to a local government that chose to recognize the state’s previous flag.

State Representative Greg Davids (R-Preston) said this violates state statute.

“Under state law, cities and counties do not have to accept this ugly new flag,” Davids said. “It would make more sense to pass a law to get rid of this homely thing once and for all, put it in a museum somewhere and never speak of it again.”

The House Democrat bill would require state government to reduce a county’s or city’s government aid amount by 10% if that locality flies any flag other than the new flag.

In 2023, Democrats established a 13-member commission to redesign Minnesota’s state flag and seal. The commission later introduced new designs for both. However, these designs were never formally approved by voters or the state legislature. Instead, the law that the commission created specified that its final flag selection would automatically take effect as the official state flag.

“States that allowed citizens to vote on the design are much more accepting of the concept,” Davids said. “Many Minnesotans took one look at this new flag and said, I’ll pass. In fact, I’ve personally bought so many of the old flags that I could hang a new one each year and have enough to last until I turn 162 years old.”

Numerous communities across the state are choosing to fly the 1983 version of the Minnesota flag on city owned property.

“You can’t tell a town to fly whatever state flag you want and then take funding away if they dislike the new version,” Davids said. “This should be a freedom issue, not a financial one.”