Press Release from the office of U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kansas)
Aug 12 2011
Minimal savings is far outdone by the hardship to rural and senior citizens
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) this week reiterated to Postmaster General Patrick R. Donohoe the vital economic role the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) plays across Kansas, especially to those living in rural communities and to senior citizens who depend on walking to the local post office to get their mail. The senator asked the Postmaster General to outline the justification for potentially closing rural post offices across the country when the Postal Regulatory Commission has indicated the projected savings would not come close to changing the financial outlook for USPS. Sen. Moran also pointed out that closing a post office simply because of revenue shortfalls is in violation of the United States Postal Code.
“The Postal Regulatory Commission has found that maintaining rural post offices only amounts to 0.7 percent of the USPS’s total budget,” Sen. Moran stated in a letter to the Postmaster General. “I believe reducing services to these communities will significantly impact rural citizens with little benefit to the Postal Service’s bottom line. My constituents that will be most affected by these decisions would like answers.”
Sen. Moran was responding to the recent release of a list of 3,653 post offices being studied by the USPS to determine use and productivity. About 130 post offices across the state of Kansas are included on that list, and could be shut down.
Please find the full text of Sen. Moran’s letter to Postmaster General Donohoe below:
August 10, 2011
Dear Postmaster General Donahoe:
Many post offices in my home state of Kansas and across the country are currently or will soon be studied for viability and profitability. Post offices serve a vital economic role in many of the communities that I represent. While the service is important to communities across our country, it is extremely important for rural residents.
If the U.S. Postal Service is attempting to discontinue services in these communities because the post offices do not make revenues in excess of expenses, my concern is with the possible violation of Section 101(b) of Title 39 of the United States Code. This section states: “The Postal Service shall provide a maximum degree of effective and regular postal services to rural areas, communities, and small towns where post offices are not self-sustaining. No small post office shall be closed solely for operating at a deficit, it being the specific intent of the Congress that effective postal services be insured to residents of both urban and rural communities.” Taking this into consideration, what is the justification for the USPS to close rural post offices?
Additionally, it is to my understanding that the Postal Regulatory Commission has found that maintaining rural post offices only amounts to 0.7% of the USPS’s total budget. If these communities do lose access to their post office, I would like to know how the resulting savings would ultimately impact the Postal Service’s financial crisis.
I sincerely recognize the situation that the Postal Service is facing, but I believe that reducing service to these communities will significantly impact rural citizens with little benefit to the Postal Service’s bottom line. My constituents that will be most affected by these decisions would like answers to the questions proposed in this letter. I look forward to your prompt response.
Very truly yours,
Jerry Moran
Wow this came from a Republican, nice very nice. People are getting to understand what is going on. Here is an idea, lets get all, and I mean all unions together and talk about merging into one, then collectively think about making congess a proposal about running the Postal Service. APWU already has the health insurance, not to mention one of the largest. Think about it, when I go to work, I know what has to be done, I dont need to ask what I should do. Management gets in the way and cost to much. A simple fix. Postmaster Genral calls him self a CEO. Wrong he is nothing but a clerk who climbed a ladder by stepping on people, cheating, stealing and will do nothing but lie to you while smiling.
A breath of fresh air to hear someone talking sense and actually showing that they care about the elderly, low income families, rural communities etc. Of course these are the communities that need the Post Office most of all yet Donahue is targeting for closure to possibly be replaced with the new look of the Post Office called the “Village Post Office”. What a disgrace and utter disrespect for what the USPS eagle stands for when Donahue post pictures of the first Village Post Office In Washington State and right next to the Post Office sign is beer signs, cigarette signs, lotto signs. Unbelievable….200+ years of experience and knowledge cannot be so easily replaced. The sancity and security of the mail is being eliminated and Donahue’s actions is going be the demise of the Post Office. The economy is not even half as bad as it will be if Donahue and others are allowed to continue eliminating service and digging a hole so deep the Post Office will never get out of.
From the list of offices many are not being closed that have no justification to remain open as many are with in a 5 mile radius of each other: dremographic has changed from rural to surban. Several textile mills villages had post offices established when mills were built and are not needed as mills no longer exist.
Mills out business and torn down BUT mill post office exist with a PM and a clerk. Mill area delivered by rural route from nearby large office 3 miles apart.
Fraternal order of Postmasters must have political influence. City delivery routes no longer have 8 hr. days due to receipt of mail brom office that DPS mail. Got penalty OT on off day. Making money. Keep 204B supv. confused. Promise them whatever as carriers maing money.
Keep in your mind that if lots of PO closed like rural, small stations over USA and also closed any PO lease building. Top Mgts of US Postal Service will work together with either UPS or Fed Express. SO All USPS employees (workers) will be layoff or fired with no benefits at all. They are talking about TSP switch to 401K as private sectors and also remove their benefits like retire and health etc.. How sad for USPS workers and their families will suffer later on. Top Mgts and higher level are very comfortable in their salaries far better than any other Federals agency (no degree the most of them). They are always playing monkey business with Congress.
Keep congress fight and save USPS and remove or fire top MGT’s and staffs. from MDO to Supervisors will work together to improve communication with their employees and be done work and serve for customers. So OPM should take care of USPS and control by either Military or Congress. Upto to congress decision.
Someone needs to fine out why we give $12 billion of our business to FedEx as well.
This was one of the past PMG. Before he left office he got rid of our Express planes and partnered with Fed Ex to fly our Express. Guess who he went to work for when he left office? Fed Ex.
Time to wake up people! Finally a GOP seeking ansewers, now look at the over funding of Civil Service & Fers! Congress made this mess now clean it up!
Someone needs to fine out why we give $12 billion of our business to FedEx as well. Would another trucking company hand over $12 billion worth of business to another trucking company ?
Nice