Budget Alert: Postage Rates To Rise In January

Staff - October 30, 2018

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of price changes to take effect January 27, 2019. The Governors of the Postal Service, which approved the prices, believe these new rates will keep the agency competitive while providing it with needed revenue. The PRC will review the prices before they are scheduled to take effect.

The proposed prices would raise Mailing Services product prices approximately 2.5 percent. Shipping Services price increases vary by product. For example, Priority Mail Express will increase 3.9 percent and Priority Mail will increase 5.9 percent. Although Mailing Services price increases are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Shipping Services prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions.

If the prices are favorably reviewed by the PRC, the new prices will include a five-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, from 50 cents to 55 cents. The single-piece additional ounce price will be reduced to 15 cents, so a two-ounce stamped letter, such as a typical wedding invitation, will cost less to mail, decreasing from 71 cents to 70 cents.

The proposed Mailing Services price changes include moving Letters (1 oz.) from 50 cents to 55 cents, Letters additional ounces from 21 cents to 15 cents and Letters (metered 1 oz.) from 47 cents to 50 cents. Outbound International Letters (1 oz.) and Domestic Postcards will remain at $1.15 and 35 cents, respectively.

The proposed domestic Priority Mail Retail Flat Rate price changes include Small Flat Rate Box from $7.20 to $7.90, Medium Flat Rate Box from $13.65 to $14.35, Large Flat Rate Box from $18.90 to $19.95, APO/FPO Large Flat Rate Box from $17.40 to $18.45, Regular Flat Rate Envelope from $6.70 to $7.35, Legal Flat Rate Envelope from $7 to $7.65 and Padded Flat Rate Envelope from $7.25 to $8.

First-Class Package Service, a lightweight expedited offering used primarily by businesses for fulfillment purposes, will move to zone-based pricing to better align with the cost of service and improve value based on distance.

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November 2, 2018

The 5-Day Mail Service has been working fine in Canada for decades...You're right. Who receives such important mail on Saturday that it can't wait until Monday? If there are specific cases, move the mailing date back one day to ensure Friday delivery. 5-day/wk mail would cut the budget back substantially. Unfortunately, this would cost jobs but if we are truly looking for solutions, this is the way other countries (not just Canada) help control their costs and still serve the purpose of the mail service.

David Blaise

October 31, 2018

I'm not a math whiz, but when you increase the price of a stamp on a typical letter from 50 cents to 55 cents, that sounds more like a 10% price increase to me than a 2.5% increase. But, of course, government math is always calculated a little differently.

Margaret Custer Ford

October 30, 2018

Yes, those rates have increased over and over again. We never seem to reach out for any solutions, or, at least a partial solution of some kind. I urge all concerned to work toward a serious way of reducing prices for this, and for other government wastes by urging cost reductions that make sense! What can be done with the high cost of the U. S. Postoffice? Here's one: BECOME AN ADVOCATE FOR NO SATURDAY MAIL DELIVERY, OTHER THAN SPECIAL DELIVERY! Most offices are closed; most residents don't care! Let me see... divide the cost of labor, vehicle maintenance, etc. by 6... that could be the savings, each week! Won't you join me by writing your congressman? We have an election happening within days... this would be a good time to address it with your new, and retained congressman and senator! As Nancy Reagan said, " Just DO it! "