Preserving Historical Cemeteries Could Net RI Property Owners a Tax Break

MIDDLETOWN, RI—The Wanumetonomy Golf & Country Club has an historic cemetery on its grounds. So do 68 more private property owners in town, according to Evelyn Wheeler, with the Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission.

Wheeler, of Narragansett, is visiting all the town and city councils statewide and asking them to offer tax breaks to property owners who preserve their historic cemeteries.

"They get an abatement for the cemetery on the property and for keeping it clean," she said.

Last week, she was in Middletown to make her pitch and present some draft language, which the councilors might consider.

"I followed the Lincoln Historic Stonewall abatement," she said and added the General Assembly passed the enabling legislation in 2011. So far, most of the communities have gone along.

"I've been to 24 towns," she said. "Twenty-two have approved" it. One refused to consider it.

Peter Regan, the town counsel, said the state law is "fairly new" and was intended to an incentive for caring for these historic grounds.

Wheeler said 69 historic cemeteries are located on private property in Middletown.

The council took no action Monday because Wheeler spoke during the public forum and was not on the agenda.

Photos: Volunteers pause during a cleanup effort at an historic cemetery in East Greenwich. (Patch file photo).