Maine Sen. Susan Collins is taking the U.S. Postal Service to task for spending she says is unwarranted at a time when the service is seeking to raise rates. In a speech on the Senate floor, Collins cited an Inspector General’s report, which she says indicates that spending in some areas is out of line.
“Its unbelievable to me that the Postal Service, awash in debt and asking for huge postal rate increases, is paying the full health care premium for 835 of its executives,” she said.
Collins says the IG’s report also indicates that the Postal Service has been hiring back retired executives at salaries well above their original pay — in some cases twice as much.
Collins says the Postal Service needs to get spending under control before raising rates again. Under the current proposal, the price of a stamp would go up to 46-cents in January. That’s twice what it cost to mail a letter in 1985.