Posted on 11/03/2005 10:44:31 AM PST by kingattax
WASHINGTON - A 2-cent boost in the price of a postage stamp was approved Tuesday by the independent Postal Rate Commission.
Under the recommendation, which now goes to the Postal Service’s Board of Governors for final action, the cost of a first-class stamp will go from 37 cents to 39 cents and the postcard rate will rise a penny to 24 cents. The Postal Service requested the increase last April. It is expected to go into effect in January.
The increase is needed so the post office can make a $3.1 billion escrow payment required by Congress. A bill that would eliminate that payment and make other changes in postal operations was approved by the House but has not yet passed the Senate. The White House has expressed reservations about the bill.
The Postal Service had requested a 5.4 percent increase in all postage rates, but the rate commission altered some of the proposals. The matter now goes back to the Board of Governors, which can agree to the changes or ask for reconsideration.
RATE PLAN
The following rate changes are included in the recommendations:
l First-class mail, first ounce, up 2 cents to 39 cents.l First-class, each additional ounce, up 1 cent to 24 cents.l Post card, up 1 cent to 24 cents.l Priority Mail, base rate up 20 cents to $4.05.l Priority Mail, one pound, up 30 cents to $6.15.l Express Mail, 8 ounces, up 75 cents to $14.40.l Parcel Post, 2 pounds, up 22 cents to $4.36.l Certified mail, up 10 cents to $2.40.l Money orders up 5 cents to 95 cents.l Weekly news magazine, up 1 cent to 18.5 cents.l Household magazine, up 1.5 cents to 28.9 cents.l In-county newspaper, down 0.2 cents to 5.8 cents.l Small nonprofit publication, up 1.4 cents to 28.3 cents.l Presorted advertising mail, 2 ounces, up 1.1 cents to 21.4 cents
escrow payment to what.....I assume their Pension fund...
Just another bureaucracy that needs to go private.
As people rely less and less on 1st class mail, opting instead for e-mail and cell phones, the rates the post office charges go up and up. The last person to mail a letter will pay $100 Billion for a stamp.........
Has anyone noticed the price is never an even amount. They could just make it 40 cents and it would be less bother plus they could wait longer for the next increase.
Just another bureaucracy that needs to go PERIOD.........
Why not 50 cents and leave us alone for 10 years?.....
Yep, their retirement and benefit costs are skyrocketing because we've been quite generous to government workers.
Perhaps the USPS should cut back? Pension funds too high?
Ask GM about cushy pensions, corrupt unions, etc.
Everytime I see my mail man, he tells me how many days he has until retirement. Been doing that for years...he has less than a year left.
He looks like he's about 50.
I buy and use maybe 2 or 3 stamps per year any more.
If it ain't email and on-line, it ain't.....
Amen! Aside from cetain lobbies and regulations, there is no earthly reason why we should not have stamp denominations all rounded to the nearest 5 cents (or 10). I'd rather they raised the 1st class stamp to 40 cents, the each additional ounce to 25, and then I could make postage in all cases from a limited range of stamps, just like buying things at the store.
Also, they should have a buy-back program within two months of a rate increase, so that we don't end up stuck with inconvenient denominations.
Privatize the Post Office ~ Now!
The following will come in handy when using your new 39s and 24s for packages:
24 39 value
1 0 $0.24
2 0 $0.48
1 1 $0.63
3 0 $0.72
2 1 $0.87
4 0 $0.96
1 2 $1.02
3 1 $1.11
5 0 $1.20
2 2 $1.26
4 1 $1.35
1 3 $1.41
6 0 $1.44
3 2 $1.50
5 1 $1.59
2 3 $1.65
7 0 $1.68
4 2 $1.74
1 4 $1.80
6 1 $1.83
3 3 $1.89
8 0 $1.92
5 2 $1.98
2 4 $2.04
7 1 $2.07
4 3 $2.13
9 0 $2.16
1 5 $2.19
6 2 $2.22
3 4 $2.28
8 1 $2.31
5 3 $2.37
10 0 $2.40
2 5 $2.43
7 2 $2.46
4 4 $2.52
9 1 $2.55
1 6 $2.58
6 3 $2.61
11 0 $2.64
3 5 $2.67
8 2 $2.70
5 4 $2.76
10 1 $2.79
2 6 $2.82
7 3 $2.85
12 0 $2.88
4 5 $2.91
9 2 $2.94
1 7 $2.97
6 4 $3.00
11 1 $3.03
3 6 $3.06
8 3 $3.09
13 0 $3.12
5 5 $3.15
10 2 $3.18
2 7 $3.21
7 4 $3.24
12 1 $3.27
4 6 $3.30
9 3 $3.33
1 8 $3.36
14 0 $3.36
6 5 $3.39
11 2 $3.42
3 7 $3.45
8 4 $3.48
13 1 $3.51
5 6 $3.54
10 3 $3.57
2 8 $3.60
15 0 $3.60
7 5 $3.63
12 2 $3.66
4 7 $3.69
9 4 $3.72
1 9 $3.75
14 1 $3.75
6 6 $3.78
11 3 $3.81
3 8 $3.84
16 0 $3.84
8 5 $3.87
13 2 $3.90
5 7 $3.93
10 4 $3.96
2 9 $3.99
15 1 $3.99
7 6 $4.02
12 3 $4.05
4 8 $4.08
17 0 $4.08
9 5 $4.11
1 10 $4.14
14 2 $4.14
6 7 $4.17
11 4 $4.20
3 9 $4.23
16 1 $4.23
8 6 $4.26
13 3 $4.29
5 8 $4.32
18 0 $4.32
10 5 $4.35
2 10 $4.38
15 2 $4.38
7 7 $4.41
12 4 $4.44
4 9 $4.47
17 1 $4.47
9 6 $4.50
1 11 $4.53
14 3 $4.53
6 8 $4.56
19 0 $4.56
11 5 $4.59
3 10 $4.62
16 2 $4.62
8 7 $4.65
13 4 $4.68
5 9 $4.71
18 1 $4.71
10 6 $4.74
2 11 $4.77
15 3 $4.77
7 8 $4.80
20 0 $4.80
12 5 $4.83
4 10 $4.86
17 2 $4.86
9 7 $4.89
1 12 $4.92
14 4 $4.92
6 9 $4.95
19 1 $4.95
11 6 $4.98
3 11 $5.01
16 3 $5.01
If the post office were to close up shop today, would you be affected? Think about it..............
Although I would eventually make it much higher, I started out as a GS-7 and my job required a degree. I was working overtime one Saturday. Our Federal building was owned by the post office. A young guy came around cleaning up, emptying trash cans etc. I got to talking with him and he was a postal grade one. I was surprised to discover he was making more than I was.
Yet another reason I should start using on-line bill paying.
Do any of you do that and what service do you use?
There is one group that has increased the use of the postal system. Bulk mail only got dinged 1 cent. The 2 cent increase is actually subsidizing the bulk mail users. These guys should be paying 39 cents not 21.4.
I get 10 pieces of junk mail a day..why not triple what they charge them...I don't want it..and it costs a lot to trash it...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.