City more than triples cost of burial plot

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — One metro area city council is taking some heat for tripling the price for a burial plot in the local cemetery.

The cost for a plot in the city owned cemetery in Carrollton was raised from $300 to $1,000.

City manager Tom Grizzard said graveyard upkeep costs $75,000 a year, while the city collects just $25,000 annually from selling plots. He says cemeteries in neighboring cities, both public and private, charge much more, and he can’t remember the last time the city raised the price.

"I've been here 12-and-a-half years, and it pre-dates me. Probably decades,” Grizzard said.

After the announcement, city leaders received a flood of complaints.

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Some citizens say it’s a rip off.

"It seemed like a lot of money to go from $300 to $1,000. That is a ton of money,” Dorothy Pittman said.

Other said someone has to pay.

"Sombody's got to cover it. Is it the people who are buying the plots that are going to be maintained or is it the people who are not gonna have a plot, but pay tax money?" Bunny Godard said.

Godard said she can understand why city leaders approved the spike.

“Maybe it’s more than triple because it was too low for too long,” she said.

Leaders say there is a lot of disagreement over what is a fair price for a plot. They are now considering a roll-back.

The city council will meet Monday night and Gizzard said it’s likely they will cancel the increase.

State law requires every county in Georgia to provide burial assistance to families who can’t afford it. Fulton County will pay up to $700 for indigent burials. An additional $350 can help pay for a non-standard coffin. The county provides up to $600 for cremation.

Cox Media Group