Following controversy surrounding past decisions on commemorative flag requests like the raising of a Pride flag, San Joaquin County’s Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to establish a committee tasked with reviewing the county’s flag policy and returning to the board with recommendations for possible changes to it.
In 2023, a proposal in the county to fly the Pride flag representing the LGBTQ+ community outside the County Administration Building in Stockton was narrowly rejected when it only gathered three of the four votes it needed to pass from the five-member board. Then-Supervisor Tom Patti opposed the motion, citing a belief that only the American flag should be displayed.
Under the county’s current policy, commemorative flags — flags recognizing specific events, causes, nationalities, or communities — require approval by at least four out of five supervisors. These flags are intended as official expressions of the county, not a platform for public free speech, according to the policy…