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(Alliance, NE) Gov. Dave Heineman today announced his support for creating Nebraska’s first state veterans’ cemetery, which would be built in cooperation with the city of Alliance and the private sector.
The Governor’s mid-biennium budget recommendations will include $150,000 in state funds to begin construction on the cooperative effort. Sen. LeRoy Louden of Ellsworth, Sen. Adrian Smith of Gering and John Hilgert, director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs joined the Governor for the announcement.
“I’m proposing the state contribute the remaining funding needed to make our first state veterans’ cemetery a reality,” Gov. Heineman said. “This is an opportunity to build a place where Nebraskans can celebrate and recognize the lives of veterans who served and sacrificed for our way of life.”
The Governor also expressed support for a bill introduced this week by Sen. Louden. LB 996 would change state law to allow the state to invest in veterans’ cemetery projects.
The idea for a state veterans’ cemetery in Alliance began in 1995, when community leaders suggested the idea of a veterans’ cemetery to the Alliance City Council. The city made an offer to donate land to create the cemetery in 1997.
In 1999, a bill introduced by then-Sen. Bob Wickersham, LB 84, created the framework for the Nebraska Veterans’ Cemetery System. Gov. Mike Johanns proposed funding to develop preliminary designs for the project in 2001, which was let unfunded by the Legislature. In 2003, regional leaders formed the High Plains Veterans’ Cemetery Task Force and raised funds to offset the up-front construction costs.
Sen. Louden said, “I am gratified that we have the opportunity as a community to come together and build a coalition to accomplish our goal of honoring veterans.”
Hilgert said, “We are eager to begin work on this project. It will be exciting to work with our community partners as together we build a place to honor Nebraska veterans.”
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