Letters

Destroying the USPS

Postmaster General Patrick Donahue wants to destroy the USPS. He claims there is a “loophole” in the Congressional mandate requiring 6 day delivery. His suspension of Saturday delivery would have a significant negative effect on the Postal Service and millions of customers.

This is just another misguided decision by the Postmaster General reflecting his policies of slash-and-shrink. This approach in dealing with the financial problems will doom the USPS to failure. He must continue working with Congress in removing the $5.5 billion in pre-payment of retirement benefits that was enacted in 2006. Without this annual pre-payment the USPS shows a cost reduction from the previous fiscal year.

Mr. Donahue claims that seven out of 10 Americans approve this reduction. I believe that the remaining three out of 10 Americans fall within one of these categories: Small businesses, people in rural communities, the disabled, the elderly, and others who depend on Saturday delivery for commerce and communication.

Of course Mr. Donahue will not talk about reducing his salary. A mere $271,000 in 2011, not to mention bonuses and incentives he receives annually.

It is clear the Postal Service leadership’s only strategy is to gut the unique postal network that provides us with the world’s most affordable delivery service and to eliminate these services on which Americans depend.

Allen Wall,

Garfield