Homeowner bailout is state's mistake

The homeowners who signed these mortgages must be held accountable somehow ("State to refinance troubled mortgages," July 11). Yes, the mortgage companies may have taken advantage, but if the homeowners had hired an attorney or did their homework, there wouldn't be a problem. This is like rewarding stupidity.

These are my tax dollars, which I am getting no benefit from because I was smart enough to sign a 30-year fixed 5.5 percent loan. If I lose my job tomorrow, I could easily end up in foreclosure since the maximum unemployment is way below my current earnings. Where would my help come from? Probably no one.

In the future, maybe I should be stupid, too, and just let Mr. Patrick worry about it.

Anthony Ellis
Beverly

Talk about rewarding bad behavior. So is this more a comment about rescuing naive consumers from themselves, or more of how government will take money from the taxpayers (a $250 million fund to help delinquent borrowers ) and inject itself in private capital affairs? What's next? Credit cards? Auto loans? I'm not sure how the state will force a lender to take a loss, or what legal boundaries are being crossed or written on the fly.

Ed DiRocco
Managing director
ChampionScott Partners
Boston

Does Massachusetts still have a law prohibiting stores from selling milk below cost? ("Milking the wallet," July 15) The 7-Eleven in Canton sells 1 percent milk at $2.69 per gallon. The Canton Market convenience store is also under $3 a gallon.

If you use that as an indication that the wholesale price is $2.50 to $2.70, you get a sense of the size of the supermarket markup.

Edward Fischer
Canton

When Star Market and Stop & Shop in Walpole and Norwood were charging $2.49 for a half-gallon of milk, the same item was in the Jackson Star in Meredith, N.H., for $1.79. Even the mom-and-pop store in Ashland, N.H., was cheaper than Massachusetts. Why was your article only about Massachusetts? Maybe the cows here are unionized.

In like manner, Crescent Ridge sells a small scoop of ice cream for $3.80, including tax. They have their own cows. Bubbling Brook, with no cows, serves a small ice cream for $2.60, tax included.

Whatever the traffic will allow. Just like gas.

Karl H. West Jr.
Walpole

The fact that 49 states can set car-insurance rates and enjoy the benefits of competition should speak volumes about what a screwed-up state this is. ("The state to let drivers shop for best rates," July 17) I have a vehicle registered at my Florida home with Geico. This year, I paid $835 to insure it in Florida with higher coverage rates than my Massachusetts vehicle. At my home in Stoneham, I paid $1,335 for insurance with Safety Insurance Co. to insure the vehicle I own here. I am 64 and my wife is 58, and we both have perfect driving records. What is wrong with that picture?

William Hill
Stoneham

Most of us don't anticipate that this will be a major expense at the worst possible time -- when we're at our most vulnerable ("Getting one last deal," July 1).

One way consumers can help themselves to make an informed decision: Visit some funeral homes and interview them. We went to a few funeral homes and sat down with the funeral directors. Doing this in person helped us get a feel for each place and its staff. We were able to compare costs, including caskets, and ask questions. We told each of them that we were visiting several funeral homes and would not be making a decision immediately.

All were excellent in terms of transparency about costs and services. Each funeral home gave us a price list and explained the choices. After spending about an hour with each, we chose the one where we felt the most comfortable, and it also turned out to have the best prices. The meetings were relaxed and even pleasant, with no mystery or nervousness.

The funeral director was able to make a price list based on our needs. They got to know us, so that when the time comes we won't be strangers.

Miriam Brooks
Braintree

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