Town Hall Flag Display

At the September 19th Council meeting, the Council directed staff to fly the Town Hall Flag at half-staff each Friday until directed otherwise by Council.

The vote on the motion was:
Ayes: Maggiore, Tremaine, Weinsoff
Noes: None
Absent: Brandborg
Abstain: Bragman

Council Members wished to explain their votes publicly as follows:

“The flying of our federal and California state flags at half-staff provides a daily reminder to us all of the service men and women who have sacrificed their lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
David Weinsoff, Council Member

"I am a mother. I believe that every child is my child. The deaths of these young men and women in this dreadful war upsets me deeply. We as peace activists continue struggle to end this wretched conflict. Everything we gesture we can make to stop the agony, for us and for the Iraqi people, we must do."
Mary Ann Maggiore, Vice Mayor

“While I abhor the war, I abstained from the Council's decision to display the flag at half mast every week. The display of the flag is controlled under the United States Code which requires a proclamation from the Governor. Governor Schwarzenegger declined to issue such a proclamation in spite of this council's request.

Governor Schwarzenegger, himself, lowers the flag to half staff to commemorate the death of each day that a Californian killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. I believe the Town of Fairfax is legally entitled to do the same thing but I do not believe that it has the legal authority to go beyond that.

The United States flag stands for the rule under law and I do not wish to inadvertently offend the family or friends of the volunteers who have sacrificed their lives to uphold those values.”

Larry Bragman, Mayor