HOT PURSUIT

Talk about adding insult to injury.

That’s exactly what’s happening when it comes to the U.S. Postal Service. I know you’ve read in my columns as well as editorials in the past about the on-going delivery issues we face with the Postal Service. In fact, a few weeks ago, I wrote an open letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy about the delivery problems we face in rural America when it comes to getting newspapers to our readers.

DeJoy never responded to my letter, which was not only published in the newspaper but also mailed directly to his residence. Not that I really expected a response.

Earlier this month, the Postal Service caught newspapers off guard even more than normal by announcing a postage increase for community newspapers that calls for nearly four times the rate increase proposed for other users of the mail. The Postal Service is levying a 7.3% increase for local “within county” mailing rate for newspapers effective in January. For most newspapers, within-county subscribers consist of the bulk of their reader base.

It’s interesting to note some of the other proposed increases. Among them is the rate for advertising mail at 1.9%, though the increase within that mail class used by local newspapers to distribute shoppers and other advertising mail range from 2.1 to 3.9%, depending on mail density. First-class mail is set to jump 1.9%.

Newspaper publishers across the country have been left stunned by DeJoy’s latest antics. Quite honestly, DeJoy’s increase is nothing more than punitive against newspapers. It seems as if the Postal Service wants to discourage newspapers from using the mail, which in most areas of the country is really the only efficient delivery method available to newspapers.

For years, the National Newspaper Association, which the Times is a member, has been fighting to keep postal costs down. So now we’re getting a slap across the face and being punished for that work. It simply adds outrage to our disappointment.

It’s no secret that DeJoy has no love for newspapers. This man is on a mission to kill newspapers. He’s jacked up the postage rates for periodicals by almost 40% since January 2021, seven months after DeJoy was appointed to the position. There have been increases at least twice a year. DeJoy is out of control.

And yet, the service continues to get worse, and people don’t receive their newspapers in a timely manner. Just last week, I heard from a reader outside of our immediate area who received the Times on Wednesday, seven days after it was put into the mail system. Yes, that’s right, one week later. Ironically, just two days later, on Friday, that same reader received the most current edition. So why can readers receive their papers two days later on rare occasions, but then it can take up to seven days on most other times?

Unfortunately, there isn’t much recourse. The Postal Regulatory Commission is responsible for reviewing proposed USPS rate increases for illegalities and calculation efforts. However, it doesn’t have the power to stop implementation of the rates.

Sadly, many newspapers are going to be forced to raise subscription rates because of the Postal Service’s action. It’s unknown at this time what will happen with our newspaper, but I’m going to make every effort to keep rates where they’re at.

Worse yet, I predict more newspapers will be forced out of business thanks to DeJoy’s stupidity. Newspapers can’t continue to take these rate hikes.

DeJoy has failed miserably at operating the Postal Service. The USPS Board of Governors needs to intervene by firing DeJoy and replacing him with someone who knows the value of community newspapers.

Someone needs to speak up and go in hot pursuit of ending DeJoy’s relentless rant against newspapers.