US Postal Service Proposes 2 Cent Stamp Increase

N

Nancy

New Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Messages
2,279
Reaction score
2
US Postal Service Proposes 2 Cent Stamp Increase

URL: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=8128544

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Postal Service on Friday proposed increasing the price of a first-class stamp by 2 cents as part of a sweeping rise in rates for most parcels to help cover pension obligations and an expected decline in letter volume.

The Postal Service said the price of a first-class stamp would rise to 39 cents from 37 cents early next year if the increase is approved by the Postal Rate Commission, an independent body that oversees the post office.

The increase comes as part of a broader 5.4 percent rate rise that the Postal Service will apply to most packages.

Express Mail package overnight would increase to about $14.39 from $13.65, and Priority Mail, a heavily promoted 2-3 day service, would rise to $4.06 from $3.85 for a 2-pound package.

Stamp prices have increased three times since 1999, most recently rising by 3 cents in June 2002.

The stamp price increase is needed to cover a $3.1 billion payment that Congress requires the Postal Service to make to its employee pension fund. The agency has urged Congress to remove its pension obligation in order to allow it to focus on improving its financial picture.

The rate increases come as the Postal Service's lucrative first-class business, which generates more than half of the agency's revenue, has declined amid increased competition from e-mail and commercial delivery services such as FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc. .
 
" The rate increases come as the Postal Service's lucrative first-class business, which generates more than half of the agency's revenue, has declined amid increased competition from e-mail and commercial delivery services such as FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc."

A rate increase will only help the private carriers. And further reduce the amount of first class mail. They make most of their money now off of metered bulk mail anyway. And a small chunk from the collector stamp market that never redeems them for service.

Postal employees make way more than the national average in income and benefits. so whose fault is it that they are in a crunch? It might cost me $40 more a year to use priority mail, and a lot of my shipping that doesn't already go by trucking companies will move to UPS and Fedex. :dunno:

I am old enough to remember when first class rates increased from .3 to .5 cents, and when a postcard could be sent for .2 cents. Check it out:
http://www.prc.gov/rates/history.htm
 
A lot of people insist that this is no big deal, tha bills can be paid online, etc.
But a heck of a lot of people simply cannot afford computers, and this increase will hit them even further in their pockets.
 
Well, I aren't surprise because Government owned corporation, such as the United States Postal Service and Amtrak. Their prices rates changes too much, Pretty soon we would all be broke and sending our holiday packages to our families going to be harder because rates kept on changing. :shock:
 
Beowulf said:
A lot of people insist that this is no big deal, tha bills can be paid online, etc.
But a heck of a lot of people simply cannot afford computers, and this increase will hit them even further in their pockets.
Click to expand...


If they don't have computers they can pay the bills at the stores that accept those type of bills. That's what I do. ;)
 
Codger said:
I am old enough to remember when first class rates increased from .3 to .5 cents, and when a postcard could be sent for .2 cents.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but it costs more to fuel trucks than to feed ponies. ;)

Oh well, the Pony Express is gone but you still have FEDEX, ha, ha.
 
Cheri said:
If they don't have computers they can pay the bills at the stores that accept those type of bills. That's what I do. ;)
Click to expand...

Well, sure, Cheri, but when gas is $4.00 a gallon, would that be feasible?
:dunno:
 
Judging by recent first class service, they are riding shetlands! Actually back then, runners were sent on foot from city to city. That is how we came up with the Marathon. When they carried odd packages, you had the triathelon! :whistle:
 
Beowulf said:
Well, sure, Cheri, but when gas is $4.00 a gallon, would that be feasible?
:dunno:
Click to expand...


:giggle: You got a point there Beowulf. :)
 
I noticed in the article, they were saying, ".......and e-mails........" as part of the profit-robbing problem for the Postal Service's First-Class service. So, let's all write 50 letters a week from now on! :)
 
I knew about it few weeks ago in training class. Maybe one day they will start to charge customers to deliver the mails to their homes. I hope it does not come to that at all. Post office has more competitiors now than ever, before they only had two competitiors, UPS and Fedexp.
 
Tousi said:
I noticed in the article, they were saying, ".......and e-mails........" as part of the profit-robbing problem for the Postal Service's First-Class service. So, let's all write 50 letters a week from now on! :)
Click to expand...


:dizzy: FOOK THAT!!! :lol:
 
I already pitch in real good for the Postal Service employees. One of our former board presidents was a postal union leader.

Last December I mailed a dozen copies of the TDI phone books to our favorite grantmakers at just over $5 a pop in postage.

Now I mail 5 mini-grant proposals a 'business' day at a cost of 95 cents each.

That is good contribution to the food on the tables of postal workers
and their family.

Richard
 
A 2 cent increase for the Postal Service? I'll say good grief! :jaw:
I usually buy 20 stamps so that means I will have to pay 40 cents more for the booklet.
 
Here we go again! :roll:

Pretty soon, it's gonna cost us $1 per stamp! :eek:
 
VamPyroX said:
Here we go again! :roll:

Pretty soon, it's gonna cost us $1 per stamp! :eek:
Click to expand...


Yup, it'll happen.. That's because we use emails and IMs instead of postal mail. Of course, as someone mentioned earlier in this thread, the postal service need money for paying their employees and gas for deliveries.
 
Nesmuth said:
I already pitch in real good for the Postal Service employees. One of our former board presidents was a postal union leader.

Last December I mailed a dozen copies of the TDI phone books to our favorite grantmakers at just over $5 a pop in postage.

Now I mail 5 mini-grant proposals a 'business' day at a cost of 95 cents each.

That is good contribution to the food on the tables of postal workers
and their family.

Richard
Click to expand...
"Average US Postal Service compensation per employee was nearly $45,000 in 1991 (3) --- 40 percent more than the average private employee. "
http://www.publicpurpose.com/apcxv.htm
 
Nesmuth said:
I already pitch in real good for the Postal Service employees. One of our former board presidents was a postal union leader.

Last December I mailed a dozen copies of the TDI phone books to our favorite grantmakers at just over $5 a pop in postage.

Now I mail 5 mini-grant proposals a 'business' day at a cost of 95 cents each.

That is good contribution to the food on the tables of postal workers
and their family.

Richard
Click to expand...

Now THERE'S a good idea, let's open up old fashioned "soup kitchens" for the poor postal workers. We could get tax deductions for bringing in old clothes for them as well.
 
Back
Top