Local reaction to postage increase

People stand in line for the strangest reasons. On Monday, postal lines were a bit longer than usual due to the price jump of a first class stamp from 42 to 44 cents.

“I’m going to have to stock up on those tiny two cent stamps and plaster them across my envelopes to make everything more complicated,” said Julia Pleasants.

Chris Hayes added, “I don’t really mail anything anyway. I’m a digital guy. I can’t even remember the last time I mailed anything in the mail so I don’t see how it will affect me, but I’m sure it’ll affect others.”

This is the third straight year rates have gone up in May. Annual increases are allowed as long as the increase does not exceed the rate of inflation for the year before. That does not seem to matter to some postal customers. “I think it’s bad. I think it’s ridiculous. It’s because the government is so broke,” said Jacob Darvin.

The postal service lost nearly 3 billion dollars last year. It is already over 2 billion dollars in the hole just halfway through this year.