Minnesota State Representative Marj Fogelman said on Apr. 30 that a new bill introduced by House Democrats would reduce state funding for local governments that choose to fly the previous version of the Minnesota state flag instead of the newly adopted one.
The proposal has sparked debate over whether cities and counties should face financial penalties for displaying the older flag design. Supporters of the previous flag say they value history and believe local communities should not be punished for recognizing it.
According to Fogelman, “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.” She also said, “People in this state value history, and cities shouldn’t be punished for supporting that.”
The bill would require a reduction in local government aid by ten percent if a county or city flies any flag other than the new official design. Fogelman pointed out that current law does not require local governments to display any specific version of the Minnesota state flag.
In 2023, Democrats established a commission tasked with redesigning both Minnesota’s state flag and seal. The commission selected new designs, which became official without direct approval from voters or additional legislative action. This process led some communities across Minnesota to continue flying the 1983 version of the state’s flag on public property.
Fogelman concluded her update by saying, “We are a nation of freedoms, and cities and counties should have the freedom to fly the state flag that the majority of their residents support.”
