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Gettysburg, other parks crimped by cutbacks

Written by DeadGirl
Friday, 28 May 2004
WASHINGTON - The grass will grow longer at Gettysburg National Military Park this summer. Facing a $309,600 budget cut and rising expenses, Gettysburg, like other national parks, is cutting back on services, charging higher fees for popular attractions such as the Electric Map, and reducing maintenance. The low-lying grave markers in the National Cemetery may be less visible in the uncut grass. Parking could take longer without seasonal parking attendants who direct traffic and assist visitors. Historic preservation is taking what may be the biggest hit. Funds intended for replacing leaking roofs on four historic structures and painting four buildings were used to pay seasonal employees. "Anybody who owns a house knows you can get away with it for a while, but not replacing a roof can become a problem over time," said Katie Lawhon, a spokeswoman for the Gettysburg park. Gettysburg and other parks are leaving critical positions unfilled, reducing interpretive programs and cutting visitors' hours, according to a group of retired National Park Service employees. The Coalition of Concerned National Park Service Retirees survey found "widespread and often deep cuts in budget, staff, maintenance and key services that will diminish the experience of national park visitors," said Bill Wade, a spokesman for the group. The coalition's report, released before the Memorial Day weekend kick-off to summer travel, is aimed at drawing attention to the budget shortfall. The group disputes the testimony of Fran Mainella, head of the park service. She told Congress in March that visitors would find "outstanding services," and that parks have bigger staffs and more money. President Bush's budget proposal for 2005 calls for $2.4 billion for the National Park Service, a 4 percent increase. But the National Parks Conservation Association says the parks are not funded sufficiently. The group says parks are facing a shortage of park rangers, and the backlog of maintenance at the parks is estimated at $6.8 billion. The figure is up from the $4 billion that Bush vowed to eliminate during the 2000 election. The problem could worsen. The Washington Post reported yesterday that an internal administration memo warned that all domestic agencies face budget cuts next year. Gettysburg and the Eisenhower National Historic Site have leaned on the Friends of the National Parks at Gettysburg and other nonprofits for money and free labor. Its full-time staff has been cut by 13 percent since 2002. "We're going to help out where we can," said Dru Neil, head of that group. "We know they're in a bit of a crunch right now." The Gettysburg Friends group has contributed nearly $6 million to the park over 15 years and now gives $750,000 to $1 million annually. It managed the restoration of the Pennsylvania monument last year. About 250 volunteers are expected to build fences in a couple of weeks. The Gettysburg park's budget for 2005 would increase by 3.6 percent. But higher salary costs and a budget cut last year translates to flat or reduced funding, advocates say. http://pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1085736022156461.xml

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Taphophilia?

taphophilia (taf′ō-fil′ē-ă)

ORIGIN:
From the Greek words taphos, meaning "tomb" or "sepulcher" and philia, meaning "attraction or affinity to something, in particular the love or obsession with something"

DEFINITION: 1. An excessive interest in graves and cemeteries. 2. A love or fondness for funerals, graves, and cemeteries. 3. In psychiatry, a morbid attraction to graves and cemeteries

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Have you decided on eternal repose?

	earthen burial
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	donation to science
	cyrogenically frozen
	you mean I'm still alive?

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“I heard the bell tolled on thy burial day, I saw the hearse that bore thee slow away, And, turning from my nursery window, drew A long, long sigh, and wept a last adieu!”

William Cowper (1731-1800)