Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Cemeteries topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House Finance rejects $1 million one-time for Eagle River Cemetery
Summary
A proposed $1 million reallocation in the FY25 capital budget to establish the Eagle River Cemetery failed 5-6 after debate about burial capacity in Anchorage and state fiscal priorities.
Representative Allard moved an amendment to reallocate $1,000,000 UGF in the House Finance Committee substitute for Senate Bill 57 to acquire and establish Eagle River Cemetery in Eagle River; the amendment failed on a 5-6 roll call.
The proposal would have moved $1,000,000 in unrestricted general funds to purchase Bank Trust land and establish cemetery plots maintained by Eagle River Parks and Recreation. Representative Allard said the Eagle River cemetery project has been “in works for about 11 years” and that a one-time state appropriation would make plots available to Alaskans, particularly Anchorage residents who the amendment’s sponsor said face shrinking burial capacity at Anchorage Memorial Park. “This is a real life, real world situation,” the sponsor said during floor discussion.
The amendment’s sponsor said revenue from plot sales would cover ongoing maintenance and that Eagle River would not seek continued state assistance once the cemetery was established. He also said municipal bonding had been considered; a previously discussed $10 million municipal bond was declined by Eagle River.
Co-chair Shrogy maintained an objection in committee discussion and cited the state’s fiscal position and “the already significant backlog of deferred maintenance at the university,” saying, “I don't think this is something I can support today.” Representative Allard responded that the proposal would reallocate existing funds rather than add new UGF, and noted the municipal and veteran burial alternatives available to some residents.
Clerk roll call after discussion recorded five yesses (Tomaszewski, Allard, Stapp, Johnson, and one other) and six nays, and the committee announced the vote as 5 yea, 6 nay. The amendment therefore failed.
The committee recorded that several other numbered amendments in the packet were not offered at the hearing; the committee proceeded to consider and later adopt a committee substitute for SB 57 (see separate article).
The committee did not direct staff to reintroduce the cemetery funding in this bill during the session. The question of burial capacity in Municipality of Anchorage cemeteries was discussed under public policy rationale by the amendment sponsor; no formal directive or appropriation resulted from this floor vote.
