Plots at new San Benito cemetery will be costly

SAN BENITO - When Martha Simental's mother died, her family wanted to bury her in the new cemetery where the city buried music legend Freddy Fender.

But the city hasn't marked plots at new San Benito Memorial Park, Mayor Joe Hernandez said.

So her family had to bury Maria Romero, 69, in the city's old cemetery, Simental said.

"She's not the only one. We have so many calls from people wanting to bury there," Hernandez said of residents who want to bury their loved ones at the new cemetery.

City officials have to meet to mark the plots at the cemetery where the city dedicated Fender's memorial last month, Hernandez said.

Residents will have to pay higher prices for plots near Fender's gravesite, said Romeo Garza, the city's parks director.

"Those are going to be on the high end," Garza said.

Prices will drop for residents who pick plots farther from the star's memorial, Garza said.

"I know the prices will decline," Garza said.

The city's running out of burial space at the city's old cemetery where residents have buried loved ones since the 1800s, officials said.

"Space there is very, very limited," Garza said. "It's over crowded already."

About three years ago, the city took over the old cemetery from Cameron County, said Tony Garcia, an administrative assistant in the parks department.

Ever since, the city's tried to make the cemetery's plots affordable to low-income residents, Garcia said.

"Usually the people can't afford more expensive plots," Garcia said.

The city charges residents with family incomes of up to $15,100 as little as $300 for plots there, Garcia said.

Residents with family incomes of up to $56,938 pay about $500 for plots, he said.

Residents with higher family incomes usually buy plots at private cemeteries, he said.