Letter to Governor Newsom - Support for $2 Million State Funding for Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery Stabilization

SUBMIT BY MAY 1st TO THE COUNTY STAFF CONTACT LISTED ON THIS PAGE

[DATE]

The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor of California 
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814

RE: Support for $2 Million State Funding for Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery Stabilization

Honorable Governor Newsom,

[We / I] write as [a resident of Marin County / a member of the community / a member of ___ synagogue / ___ organization / family member of someone buried at Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery] to respectfully urge your support for an urgent $2 million state budget appropriation to the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau (CFB) to support maintenance and stabilization at Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery. This request is consistent with state funding provided in the 2026 Budget Act for Lincoln Memorial Park and Woodlawn Cemeteries and reflects a similar need for urgent state support.

[Insert connection to Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery, including family ties, community affiliation, or personal experience with the site and current conditions.]

Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery is a 150-year-old site that remains an active burial ground for Marin families, yet it is in a state of serious disrepair. The cemetery lost its license in 2025 following court-enforced action due to egregious financial mismanagement and neglect. While the State has taken steps to secure what remains of the endowment care fund, the condition of the grounds continues to deteriorate. Unlike other abandoned cemeteries in California (the focus of Senator Richardson’s SB 777, 2025), burials are still occurring at Mt Tamalpais for families with pre-purchased plots – making this situation especially urgent.

Families visiting the cemetery are met with overgrown grounds, no basic maintenance, and difficulty locating gravesites – even for recently buried loved ones. These conditions are deeply distressing and fall short of the dignity and permanence that California’s cemeteries should provide. 

This situation has gone on for too long – since state regulatory enforcement began in 2021 – and without this near-term intervention, conditions will deteriorate to a point where meaningful restoration becomes far more difficult and costly. Families deserve immediate action, and with legislative support and a community-driven path toward stabilization and responsible long-term management, this funding represents a timely opportunity to prevent further deterioration and begin restoring the site.

More broadly, this situation reflects a serious and concerning gap in the State’s approach to regulating cemeteries – community grounds that so many Californians rely on as the final resting place for their loved ones. We believe this is an opportunity for the State to partner with local governments, community organizations, and families to move beyond enforcement and toward lasting solutions. In addition to this funding request, we support ongoing legislative efforts to establish a clear path forward for distressed private cemeteries. 

With targeted state support, Mt. Tamalpais can become a model for how to restore conditions, rebuild trust, and ensure long-term stewardship.

We respectfully urge your support for this funding request and thank you for your leadership on this issue. With your partnership, Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery can be restored to the respectful condition that families – and Californians laid to rest – deserve.

Sincerely,

[Name]