Sunday, January 15, 2012

Bring Out Yer Dead

This is interesting.

Wisconsin cemetery owners are using radio airwaves to push a bill being circulated in the state Assembly by Whitewater Republican Rep. Evan Wynn, “In Ohio the law mandates that hotel pillows must be white or off white. And here in Wisconsin. Well, it’s actually illegal to jointly own a funeral home and a cemetery. That makes as much sense as forcing you to buy your brat at one concession stand and the bun at a different one. It’s a dumb law and it’s time we bury it.”

Wynn’s bill would repeal a state law that prohibits cemeteries from owning funeral homes and vice versa. Christine Toson Hentges is vice president of Tribute Cemetery Systems in Hartland, “The consumer typically sees cemeteries and funeral homes as one business and by the separation that’s in law right now we’re making them be very inconvenienced by having them go to two different operations.”

I have no idea why this law is even on the books. I can’t imagine any reason why someone can’t own a cemetary and a funeral home. If anything, it seems like it would be more efficient. But the dynamics here are fascinating.

On the one hand, we have the cemetary owners. They want to also own funeral homes because, as well as being a related revenue source, it can funnel revenue into their cemetaries. It makes perfect business sense.

On the other hand, we have funeral home operators who certainly don’t want cemetary owners to enter their market and compete with them.

On the one foot, we have the consumers who would likely benefit from more competition in the funeral home market. Although, it is an odd market in that almost every consumer makes their decision under duress. They are usually in grief, under a time crunch, and have very few ways to compare different providers.

On the other foot, we have a cultural aspect. If cemetary owners enter the funeral home market, will current funeral home owners push cremation to level the playing field? How effective could they be when decisions regarding burial/cremation and funeral arrangements are often driven by larger religious or cultural norms.

Regardless, Wisconsin should repeal the prohibition.

(1) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1517 hrs
Culture + Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. As someone who owns a funeral home I am not too concerned about this legislation as long as they level the playing field and add new language to the bill. Right now there are no cemeteries in Washington County set-up to become funeral homes and I can’t think of any who would want to change. This bill is being pushed by a handful of corporate cemeteries, mainly in the Milwaukee area. So people will have a choice to either support their local, family owned funeral home where you can be served by the owner or they can try their luck with the corporate giants.
    As far as the language of the bill the only change I want to see is a mandate that these cemeteries can’t charge a “processing” fee for the non-cemetery funeral homes to conduct services in their cemeteries. As of now there is nothing stating they can’t charge an extra $1000 to outside funeral homes. Wisconsin Memorial Park already has a substantial processing fee on top of their outrageous opening and closing (grave digging) fee.
    This law was put in place to protect the consumer. There is also a law on the books stating funeral homes cannot have any interest in flower shops for the same reason.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on January 16, 2012 at 0905 hrs


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