Postal Service seeks to hike first-class stamp to 73 cents

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The U.S. Postal Service signaled plans Tuesday for a rate increase that includes hiking the cost of a first-class stamp from 68 cents to 73 cents, part of an overall 7.8% increase to take effect this summer.

The request was made to the Postal Regulatory Commission, which must approve the proposed increase that the Postal Service contends is necessary to achieve financial stability.

If approved, the 5-cent increase for a “forever” stamp and similar increases for postcards, metered letters and international mail would take effect July 14.

U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy previously warned postal customers to get used to “uncomfortable” rate hikes as the Postal Service seeks to become self-sufficient. He said price increases were overdue after “at least 10 years of a defective pricing model.”

In its filing, the Postal Service said it’s also seeking price adjustments on special services such as money order fees and certified mail. But there will be no price increase for post office box rentals, and postal insurance will be reduced by 10% when items are mailed, the postal service said.

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11 thoughts on “Postal Service seeks to hike first-class stamp to 73 cents

  1. Time to transfer the postal system to the private sector, as they are a failed entity. I wish they would just raise postage to $1.00 and leave us alone for 5 years!! Discontinue Saturday delivery! Hire people that walk with a faster pace and work with a sense of urgency! So many ideas that could save time, efficiency and money if a business mind were in charge!

    1. You seem to be really in tune with what’s happening, why don’t you apply to run the post office and fix it?

    2. Phlip C – Louis DeJoy IS from the business world. He was appointed by Trump and has been leading USPS for 4 years now.

    3. There are private options and a “letter sized envelope” costs $10+ to mail. (sarcasm) Sounds like a good option to me! (end of sarcasm)

    4. Privatize the post office and let them decide who gets service when, and soon a huge part of rural America will loose that last mile delivery.

  2. The good news is we have an alternative. It’s a bit more expensive but generally much more reliable. The government can’t run a lemonade stand.

    1. A bit more expensive?!? I sold an item on ebay and parcel post was $15. All of the other private carriers were north of $23. That is FIFTY PERCENT more expensive.

  3. Louis Dejoy was appointed by TRUMP charged with the mission to destroy the U.S. Postal service as a public service organization that serves everyone no matter where they are located.

    Why has he not been fired by the postal commissioners that are now a majority of Biden appointees ? Did TRUMP give him a poison pill contract that makes it very costly to get rid of him ??

  4. I’ve often wondered when USPS was going to catch up to the rest of the world. I’ve mailed postcards home from overseas and five years ago a stamp for one of those was a $1. First class letters in most of the EU cost $0.90+ USD.

  5. USPS is a dumping ground for useless bureaucrats, that get dumped into the waste land called middle management. The layers of middle management in the USPS could save the USPS billions without trying.

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