View Full Version : Postal Rate commission approves 2 cent postage rate increase
Itsme
11-01-2005, 07:01 PM
Postal Rate commission approves 2 cent postage rate increase
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
Associated Press Writer
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 commission's changes or ask for reconsideration.
The rate commission said its decision reduced proposed increases for nonprofit organizations and small local newspapers, but would raise the post office's planned charges for mailing books and media materials.
Postage rates last increased in June 2002.
Rate changes included in the recommendations:
-First-class mail, first ounce, up 2 cents to 39 cents.
-First-class, each additional ounce, up 1 cent to 24 cents.
-Post card, up 1 cent to 24 cents.
-Priority Mail, base rate up 20 cents to $4.05.
-Priority Mail, one pound, up 30 cents to $6.15.
-Express Mail, 8 ounces, up 75 cents to $14.40.
-Parcel Post, 2 pounds, up 22 cents to $4.36.
-Certified mail, up 10 cents to $2.40.
-Money orders up 5 cents to 95 cents.
-Weekly news magazine, up 1 cent to 18.5 cents.
-Household magazine, up 1.5 cents to 28.9 cents.
-In-county newspaper, down 0.2 cents to 5.8 cents.
-Small nonprofit publication, up 1.4 cents to 28.3 cents.
-Presorted advertising mail, 2 ounces, up 1.1 cents to 21.4 cents.
AlpineJay
11-02-2005, 12:21 AM
I'm not thrilled about the constant rate increase, but I realize that sending something first class 3,000 miles away costs me 39 cents, which I find to be quite the bargain.
I guess we all saw this coming, what with the gas price increases.
To be honest though, I don't think this increase affects me as much as it did before, because all my bills are now paid online with the exception of rent, and email replaced a lot of the snail mail I used to write. I think the only thing I actually send out using stamps are birthday/holiday cards and mail-in rebates (gotta get those deals), and that's both in pretty small quantities.
Just means I gotta use my stamps up or be stuck buying those "correctional stamps" for 2c a pop which I'll never ever completely use up..
brainsmile
11-02-2005, 12:45 AM
seems like I'm gonna email more
nickel
11-02-2005, 04:29 AM
yeh, the writing was on the wall with that one, but just go 40cents and leave it there for awhile.
riskykougra
11-02-2005, 04:33 AM
They had to raise the prices to pay the commitee that had to form to make sure they removed anything religious or remotely christmas from their christmas stamps that I saw in another thread:heh:
nickel
11-02-2005, 04:34 AM
how much is first class postage for a letter in Canada?
riskykougra
11-02-2005, 04:40 AM
Honestly Im not sure because everyone I would want to talk to either lives here or has email but just regular postage is almost 60 cents...ya we pay alot more for everything...I should move:disa:
nickel
11-02-2005, 04:45 AM
Honestly Im not sure because everyone I would want to talk to either lives here or has email but just regular postage is almost 60 cents...ya we pay alot more for everything...I should move:disa:
60 cents Canadian? that's not really too far off from our rate then ;)
riskykougra
11-02-2005, 04:48 AM
Well you know...with all the igloo's being spread out and the polar bears to contend with instead of the usual dogs ....I kid...I kid :laugh:
LegendKiller
11-02-2005, 05:15 AM
The US has, I believe, the cheapest mail costs in the world and has always been that way. Why people bitch about .02 is beyond me. It's not like it costs you a buck.
riskykougra
11-02-2005, 05:51 AM
Hmmm...reread the thread and dont really see anyone "bitching"..just stating facts and ways to deal with changes.:shrug:
MikeD
11-02-2005, 06:16 AM
yeh, the writing was on the wall with that one, but just go 40cents and leave it there for awhile.
Ehh, I say $.50 and roll with it. Makes for easier change (all quarters). :)
How the USPS consistenly loses money is beyond me. They should completely privatize the operation, run it like a UPS or FedEx. Would be more efficient and, for a change, profitable.
jstreet
11-02-2005, 06:31 AM
Ehh, I say $.50 and roll with it. Makes for easier change (all quarters). :)
How the USPS consistenly loses money is beyond me. They should completely privatize the operation, run it like a UPS or FedEx. Would be more efficient and, for a change, profitable.:stupid: And Amtrak too.
I just bought a whole book of stamps. Now I'll have to use those damn one cent stamps.
On the upside, people with old thirteen-cent postcard stamps can just use three!
LegendKiller
11-02-2005, 07:53 AM
Ehh, I say $.50 and roll with it. Makes for easier change (all quarters). :)
How the USPS consistenly loses money is beyond me. They should completely privatize the operation, run it like a UPS or FedEx. Would be more efficient and, for a change, profitable.
It doesn't constantly lose money, it is in the black quite a bit. Their biggest problem is the capital hits from new equipment is pretty heavy sometimes.
Privatization would be pretty bad. The new company could stop rural delivery or charge a lot more for it. It would also stop saturday delivery. Finally, with the removal of pricing pressure from the USPS the way it is now, the prices would go up if that were removed.
jstreet
11-02-2005, 07:59 AM
It doesn't constantly lose money, it is in the black quite a bit. Their biggest problem is the capital hits from new equipment is pretty heavy sometimes.
Privatization would be pretty bad. The new company could stop rural delivery or charge a lot more for it. It would also stop saturday delivery. Finally, with the removal of pricing pressure from the USPS the way it is now, the prices would go up if that were removed.Does UPS not deliver to rural areas? I wasn't aware of that. And UPS delivers on Saturday for extra.
this was expected .....w/so many people paying bills online now .....it might not make a huge impact but it does cut into their revenue :shrug:
Ehh, I say $.50 and roll with it. Makes for easier change (all quarters).
:stupid:
LegendKiller
11-02-2005, 08:36 AM
Does UPS not deliver to rural areas? I wasn't aware of that. And UPS delivers on Saturday for extra.
In many cases they charge extra, I am not sure if they actually deny or not.
MikeD
11-02-2005, 08:37 AM
:stupid:
:stupid:
There is an :agree: , you know. You're starting to hit my confidence over here...;)
MikeD
11-02-2005, 08:38 AM
Does UPS not deliver to rural areas? I wasn't aware of that. And UPS delivers on Saturday for extra.
In many cases they charge extra, I am not sure if they actually deny or not.
Airen, I got this one.
UPS delivers to every address in the US. And yes, they do charge the shipper extra for Saturday delivery.
There is an :agree: , you know. You're starting to hit my confidence over here...;)
:heh:
mcs328
11-02-2005, 08:43 AM
Well it's not so much as an impact on us as individuals because of email and online payments. This biggest impact are businesses who send out snail mail to tell you that your bill is due. Depending on the volume of customers they can see significant increases in overhead and need to budget accordingly to small penny increases. Nickel and dime increases without parallel increases in their revenue can be detrimental I imagine to small or mid size businesses.
EDIT: I've bought the breast cancer stamps for a few years now that cost me I think like 45 cents + so they should be still good with the rate increase.
well, at least the companies that offer online billing won't see much of a difference .....especially if more of their customers are beginning to sign up online. but for the small corps that do not offer that service i'm sure it will be somewhat of an impact ......i don't think it would be major though
:shrug:
attgig
11-02-2005, 10:19 AM
I guess we all saw this coming, what with the gas price increases.
yup.
dougadam
11-02-2005, 03:14 PM
I e-mail as much as possible.
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