Friday, May 24, 2013
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Over 36 Alaska Post Offices In Jeopardy of Shut DownThe U.S. Postal Service is considering the cut as part of a nationwide cost saving plan.
More than 36 Alaska post offices remain in jeopardy of being shut down, which could mean many rural communities would go without their much-needed mail service.
The U.S. Postal Service is considering the cut as part of a nationwide cost saving plan. A USPS spokesperson said no post offices in Alaska are planned to close anytime soon. The organization is currently conducting a study to be completed within the next five months and will include community feedback. “We will be conducting also a survey [that] will be sent out to these sites and the entire community will be given the opportunity to provide us with their feedback and their concerns,” said USPS spokeswoman Blessie Lochman U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska and Mark Begich, D-Alaska, and Governor Sean Parnell all released statements asking the postal service to consider the impact these closures would have on rural communities. |
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mcgillagorilla said on Saturday, Aug 13 at 4:51 PM
if a post office is not paying its own way shut it down otherwize the whole postal service will collapse as a result. if people do not want to do without either drive or move closer to the post office. american taxpayers should not support non profitable post offices situated in towns in the brush that does not pay its own way.
72307707mailguy said on Saturday, Aug 13 at 5:31 PM
Quick comment: Since 1982 when the US Postal Service was realigned, no post offices or any of the employees have been subsidized by any tax payer dollars. We pay our own way from what we make. That is why we are a service not a business. All your tax $ goes to bombs and bullets.
72308653DogEar2 said on Saturday, Aug 13 at 5:44 PM
Yes many of the Village Postal Stations should be considered.High Cost right there to keep open.Another one is Sutton.Just a few Miles from the Palmer Post Office.
72308979OldTimer said on Saturday, Aug 13 at 7:05 PM
Personally I think the Postal Service has lost control of all its facualities. Stamps keep going up and up in cost. Reason being it is to help lower costs. Guess if that didn't work, somebody in Washington has come up with the idea of closing small, village, community size post offices. What will be next? Nothing seems to work when politicians get their fingers in the mix. All we, as the American people, can expect to see change is politicians pockets getting deeper and the poor mans running dryer. I have lost mail after mail in our local post office and some, after 7 or 8 years, well I just gave up. But, I did pay the increase in postage so the Postal Department could get out of debt. I am a 70 year old retired person that hasn't had a Cost of Living Allowance increase in my little old Social Security check (what little there is) so I think it is about time for the little person to reap the benefits instead of Washington and our politicians. You can bet I won't vote for same.
72310938Anonymous said on Saturday, Aug 13 at 8:20 PM
Just like any business, the top people get their money. The PO does pay their own way. They are not part of the Gov, but have to follow gov. guidelines and petition congress for rate hikes. They used to give bonuses to station managers, but no more. They are pushing for more deliveries per person and cutting delivery routes out to make others larger in order to "force" workers to go beyond their physical means. Now, sit back and wait for the injuries as the PO tells that they are going to unilaterally take away medical care and allow lay-offs at the work level, instead of the upper level. Reports(by management, for management) are not what is needed, It is bodies to move the mail. Postal employees are just trying to make a living like everyone else. Get the biggest percentage of the fat trimmed of the topp and the PO can run again, instead of limping as it carries weight that does not move the mail.
72312529Franklinscrying said on Saturday, Aug 13 at 8:25 PM
If we want mail, we should pay for it.
72312631No more free rides! said on Saturday, Aug 13 at 8:28 PM
Unions have destroyed the post office. There is zero reason to work hard. The same is happening with nearly every government service we have created.
72312717uvwxyz said on Sunday, Aug 14 at 12:26 PM
The biggest problem with the post office is the cost of the huge pension commitments, which are now entitlements, people. Everyone wants something for nothing these days. The workers want their exhorbitant penstions and the customers want delivery in the boondocks. Time for a fresh dose of reasonableness across the boards.
72335534Anonymous said on Monday, Aug 15 at 2:43 PM
Why don't they cut PO's around down the states? They have the CHEAPER GAS to purchase to drive to a PO somewhere close by. Why is it always the bush? They are hit with HIGH prices in food and gas. So take away their mail, easy for people to say that live in Anchorage with MANY post offices to go to. They can drive to a different one. I've seen many that drive all the way out to the PO at the Airport just to mail something. No problem for them. Keep hitting the REAL Alaskans, the ones that were born and raised here. I hate Politics. So GREEDY.
72388537jjj said on Tuesday, Aug 16 at 4:00 PM
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION KILLED THE POST OFFICE! have you been in a post office lately? we should switch to Electronic mail, no delivery cost!
72448984KC said on Friday, Aug 19 at 9:33 AM
Wrong..It's not postal pay that has caused this. It is the stupid internet e-mail. If post offices are closed, the only way to get packages will be from private mail companies. If you think postal rates are high wait until you pay 100 bucks for a tshirt you order online. The only reason prices are low for shipping..is "because" of the post offices.
72608569jjj said on Friday, Aug 19 at 2:17 PM
ok, you make a good point, but the usps has been losing money for decades
72622934marcy said on Saturday, Aug 20 at 7:55 AM
As things stand we need the rural post offices. I will use the already mentioned Sutton Post Office as an example. The people in Sutton do not have home delivery so they are forced to choose between putting up a mailbox next to the highway that would be very vulnerable to vandalism and thieves or renting a box at the post office for $70 a year. Most people choose to rent a box. If we figure they have rented 500 boxes at $70 each they have brought in $35,000 to offset their costs. If the Sutton Post Office were closed the drive to Palmer is 15 miles one way so a 30 mile drive would be required just to check the mail. If we say that 50% of the Sutton residents are retired or have jobs that don't require them to drive to town daily then a 30 mile is a big inconvenience, especially when you factor in the price of gas these days and the winter weather. If they do close the rural post offices such as the one in Sutton they should soften the blow by replacing them with home delivery.
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