NEW JERSEY
NorthJersey.com
MAY 15, 2014
BY MEGHAN GRANT
MANAGING EDITOR
SOUTH BERGENITE
NORTH ARLINGTON – Worried that their bottom line would suffer once the Archdiocese of Newark entered the monument market, North Arlington tombstone business owners filed a complaint against Holy Cross Cemetery, citing the unfair advantage posed by the church’s tax-free status. Judge Frank Ciuffani this week sided with the church, claiming that since the cemetery only served Catholics, it wasn’t subject to the same state regulations governing public cemeteries.
Six monument sellers surround Holy Cross Cemetery, having provided their services for close to a century to friends and family of the deceased. All six joined the initial suit.
The Archdiocese of Newark began an Inscription Rights Program in April 2013, allowing the Archdiocese to purchase and own the monuments and be responsible for setting and inscribing the stone. The Archdiocese contends it is not selling the monuments, but is offering a service. The Archdiocese does not pay taxes on the service program but reported it has paid taxes for wholesale purchase of monument for its clients.
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