9/11 families outraged over memorial fee
Sunday, April 14, 2013
By Jessica Chasmar
Families of Sept. 11 victims are outraged after the 9/11 Memorial Foundation went back on its word not to charge a $2 fee for advance reservations made online or by phone. “I don’t want the American public to have to pay a dime to pay respects to my son,” said Sally Regenhard, whose firefighter son, Christian, died in the World Trade Center attacks, according to the New York Post. “They made … a vow that no one would ever be charged for going to the memorial, but money is the bottom line here.” Jim Riches, a retired FDNY deputy chief who lost his firefighter son on 9/11, agreed, calling the $2 fee “disgusting.” “They’re making money off the people that died. It’s disgusting,” he said. “The memorial should be free for everybody to pay their respects. You wouldn’t charge money to get into a cemetery.”
Memorial Foundation CEO Joe Daniels told the Post the charge is necessary to help support its operations. “Like other similar institutions, in order to help support the operational needs of the 9/11 Memorial, we have implemented a service fee, solely for advance reservations,” he told the paper.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
By Jessica Chasmar
Families of Sept. 11 victims are outraged after the 9/11 Memorial Foundation went back on its word not to charge a $2 fee for advance reservations made online or by phone. “I don’t want the American public to have to pay a dime to pay respects to my son,” said Sally Regenhard, whose firefighter son, Christian, died in the World Trade Center attacks, according to the New York Post. “They made … a vow that no one would ever be charged for going to the memorial, but money is the bottom line here.” Jim Riches, a retired FDNY deputy chief who lost his firefighter son on 9/11, agreed, calling the $2 fee “disgusting.” “They’re making money off the people that died. It’s disgusting,” he said. “The memorial should be free for everybody to pay their respects. You wouldn’t charge money to get into a cemetery.”
Memorial Foundation CEO Joe Daniels told the Post the charge is necessary to help support its operations. “Like other similar institutions, in order to help support the operational needs of the 9/11 Memorial, we have implemented a service fee, solely for advance reservations,” he told the paper.
I realize that times are tough, but this just seems... wrong.
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