SENATOR COLLINS’ STATEMENT ON PLAN TO REDUCE POSTAL DELIVERY SERVICE
March 2, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Postal Service today announced that it will propose cutting Saturday mail delivery as a way to trim its large budget shortfalls. It also proposes to reduce overtime and to cut its workforce by about 30,000. Senator Susan Collins, R-Me., Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has oversight of the U.S. Postal Service, issued the following statement:
“The Postal Service is the only financially troubled business I know that would focus on cutting service rather than on trying to serve its customers better. The Postal Service needs to increase its volume and attract more customers. It cannot expect to gain more business if it is reducing service.
“The Postal Service is the lynchpin of a $900 billion mailing industry, providing nine million jobs nationwide. Given its critical role in our economy, the Postal Service should do everything it can to develop new revenue streams, to become more competitive and to improve services for both individual and business customers.
“I am concerned that cutting delivery days could force businesses to seek alternatives for their communication needs. Such a migration of customers will only increase the erosion in the Postal Service’s shrinking mail volume, which will prompt greater postage rate hikes and renew calls for even more truncated delivery services. It is a vicious cycle that will only exacerbate the Postal Service’s dire financial problems. We must break this death spiral.
“Despite the relief Congress provided to the Postal Service in 2003, 2006 and 2009, it is seeking to wish away more of its liabilities. It also has been slow to take advantage of the tools provided in the 2006 reform act to improve its financial situation. It also is clear that the USPS must continue to address its workforce-related costs, which account for about 80 percent of its total
To the tune of 500 million…Potter Sal and benefits..maybe 1.25 million
Is there still money left in the humongous amount that the PO has put into the
Pension Acct. There is still no accountability. My son having taken part in
numurous meetings tried to bring up what was going on with the internet & some
of his views. Well, 10 years later, it has now come to reality since noone wanted
to listen. If the PO office has been losing so much $ over the years, WHY is
\POTTER still receiving the huge increase in his salary when he cannot manage
or doesnt care about the PO except for when he retires. I have seen this in the
PO for so many years as a Family PO family. Also, the politicians in Washington
do NOT want to cut any of their miniscule PO in their home state but still complain
Their benefits are out of this world & I wish we lowly people were able to receive
the benefits that WE pay them for. We will NEVER SEE. WHO pays for the
politicians mailings? Do they pay the full amount.?
Then you are an idiot..What about the money Congress took from the Postal Service. You got to love this guy. They take billions and then 2006 when Congress was going to pay its yearly bill for Free Matter for blind, they decide to pay it over the next 40 years. The Postal Serivce is their cash cow. Then in 2006, they decide to make USPS pre-fund retirement to put more money in the treasury. This makes the deficit look a little better. Relief…RELIEF…you got to be kidding…..It is because of your relief the Postal Serivce is in this mess.
No other business, Corp or gov institution has to pre-fund, only the postal serivce. When are we going to get back our 75 billion?
Donald Hobbs great tunel vision
I totally agree with Senator Collins – let’s grow the business and if there is
any cutting to be done; try cutting the Management staff in half – that will save
hundreds of millions of $ on salaries for folks that never touch the mail.
Thanks!