No Extra Cost to Replace Flag, Says Maine Office of Fiscal and Program Review

Proposed flag of Maine featuring a pine tree

OCTOBER 22, 2024 — Today, the Maine Office of Fiscal and Program Review said they do not foresee additional costs, if Mainers chose to replace the design of their flag in November, WGME reports.

Maine voters will decide on November 5 whether to change the state flag.

Question 5 on the ballot asks if they’d like to replace the current flag, featuring the state seal on a blue background, with a design similar to Maine’s original 1901 flag, which includes a pine tree and a blue star.

If passed, state offices and buildings would gradually replace flags as they wear out, avoiding extra costs. According to the Maine Office of Fiscal and Program Review, “This assumes that the changeover will occur gradually, and the costs will be similar to those that would occur from the normal replacement of existing flags as they become worn and frayed.”

This is not the first time the potential cost of replacing the flag is brought up. Earlier this month, the Maine Secretary of State also stated that the transition to a new state flag will not incur any additional costs.

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