Bill would cut aid to cities defying new MN flag
On Monday, April 27, 2026, DFL lawmakers proposed cutting state aid to Minnesota cities that refuse to fly the state's new flag, escalating a dispute over local compliance, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reported. (fox9.com)
The proposal would tie state funding to whether municipal governments display the new flag, according to the FOX 9 report, and targets cities that stop flying the banner adopted by the state. (fox9.com)
The episode traces back to the recent adoption of a new Minnesota state flag and subsequent pushback from some local officials who have resisted replacing older flags. (fox9.com)
The FOX 9 report did not include specifics on the amount of aid that could be withheld or the bill's path through the Legislature, and it did not name the bill sponsors. (fox9.com)
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📌 Key Facts
- Bill would direct the Minnesota Commissioner of Revenue to reduce state aid by 10% to any city or county that flies a flag other than the new official Minnesota state flag.
- The penalty would be applied in the year after the violation is found, and the law would take effect starting in 2027 if enacted.
- Several cities, including St. Francis, Zumbrota and Elk River, have voted to keep or return to the old flag, objecting to the redesign process or the new flag's resemblance to Somalia's flag.
- House Speaker Lisa Demuth has stated the bill has "no path forward" in the Minnesota House, signaling it is unlikely to advance despite being referred to the Tax Committee.
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