Council Reopens Flag Debate. Again

People’s Flag atop CityCenter at 735. Photo by Steve Kodis.

Here we go again.

On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Common Council officially endorsed restarting the process to change the city’s official flag.

The council voted to create a nine-member task force that would host a design contest and rank the 10 best flags. Its work, according to lead sponsor Alderman Peter Burgelis, would be completed in time for the council to adopt a new flag in December.

But the same indecision and concerns about process that ended the 2018 and 2024 debates are already cropping up.

“My preference would be for this to be voted on in the ballot,” said Ald. Alex Brower, who endorsed the concept of replacing the city’s 1950s flag. “People do want to see a new city flag. The million dollar question is ‘what’s it going to be.'”

Ald. Russell W. Stamper, II also endorsed a referendum. But Act 12, the 2023 sales tax law, prevents referendums on anything but binding capital projects.

“The only thing I have heard from my residents is they don’t want to do this again,” said Ald. Scott Spiker. He was the lone dissenter on creating the task force and abstained from voting on the measure.

“I have heard from constituents that there is other issues of greater priority,” said Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs. But she said they need not worry.

The flag was one of 76 items on Tuesday’s agenda, she noted. “As we deal with the flag in the days to come, there are hundreds and hundreds of other serious issues that we will also deal with. I believe that I and my colleagues are wise enough to work on our community, to walk and chew gum at the same time,” she said. “We can do both.”

“We have the capacity here in this body… We can discuss multiple items and things,” said Brower. He said a flag was an important symbol in World War II in the fight against Nazis and fascists. “A flag is important.”

Council members have noticed the public criticism the issue faces. “Reddit is going insane right, they always are. I challenge anybody who is hiding behind a username right now to stand up, say something publicly, consider a run for office, be part of the conversation instead of just hiding behind a computer screen,” said Brower.

Ald. Mark Chambers, Jr., an opponent of the prior, quasi-official process that resulted in the People’s Flag, thanked Burgelis for pursuing a more inclusive approach this go-round.

After the meeting, Burgelis was soliciting feedback on potential members of the task force. Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Council President José G. Pérez and Coggs, the Milwaukee Arts Board chair, will each be able to appoint three members to the flag task force.

The proposal includes no financial allocation beyond staff time from the City Clerk‘s office.

For more on the history of the flag, and Milwaukee’s never-ending flag debate, see our coverage from last week.

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