To the editor:
There are efforts being made by local officials to make housing more affordable in Lynn. Establishing the Housing Trust Fund is a good example of a positive step being taken. This looks to support first-time homebuyers and tenants looking for upfront money to get into an apartment and many other possibilities yet to be determined. I applaud these efforts, as living in Lynn needs to be more affordable.
I’ve been thinking about other ways that Lynn can be more affordable for everyone. What if we could get our auto-insurance premiums reduced as a community? What if we could join the Green Energy Consumers Alliance to use the buying power of all Lynn households and businesses to reduce our electricity rates?
With respect to the auto-insurance premiums, consider this:
I read a story in Tuesday’s Item that said that a study by Consumer Affairs found that Lynn was the sixth-best city in the country for safe drivers. If that is the case, I wonder why auto insurance is so expensive in Lynn. Insurance coverage for a car in Lynn that costs about $1,200 per year can be had in Swampscott for about $500 per year.
The Lynn police state that Lynn has eight of the top 200 intersections for crashes in the Commonwealth, which suggests that Lynn is not so safe. Auto-insurance companies apparently look at the same data as the police.
As a city councilor, I will request a meeting with the Division of Insurance so that we can understand why our rates are so high and what we can do as a community to get them down. I will advocate for lower rates for the residents and businesses of Lynn.
With respect to electricity rates, consider this:
I did some research and learned that about 100 of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts participate in the Green Energy Consumer Alliance. This program has sharply reduced the electricity charges in neighboring cities Salem and Peabody by leveraging the buying power of the whole city.
I say, why not Lynn? As a city councilor, I will advocate for enrolling in this program so that we can save money for all households and businesses.
While affordable housing can help some, I say let’s make Lynn more affordable for everyone.
Sincerely,
Roger Garcia
Lynn
Candidate for councilor-at-large
