POSTAL: Say no to privatization

Being a letter carrier for 36 years, I have the responsibility to properly educate the people of America about the financial situation of the U.S. Postal Service. Privatizing the USPS would have a negative impact on the people of Idaho when it comes to service standards.

Using no tax dollars, Congress can end the manufactured crisis of the USPS having to pre-fund future retiree health benefits for the next 75 years, in 10 years time, at $5.5 billion a year, which the USPS simply cannot afford without having to negatively reduce service, close facilities and eliminate jobs. Many veterans rely on the USPS for employment? Two proposed bills in Congress, S 316 in the Senate and HR 630, both called the Postal Service Protection Act, would end the pre-funding requirement (which, by the way, no other agency or business has to make), return overpayments in the FERS and CSRS retirement systems, and maintain six-day delivery of mail. If passed, these bills would also keep mail processing plants open to maintain quality service.

Let’s do the right thing by supporting the Postal Service to function on its own revenue.

JOHN PAIGE

Idaho State Association of Letter Carriers

Pocatello