NAA encouraged by commission to examine U.S. Postal Service

The announcement today that an independent presidential commission of national leaders has been appointed to examine the operations of the U.S. Postal Service and make recommendations for its future was greeted with enthusiasm by the Newspaper Association of America.

“By establishing this commission, the president has taken a big step in restoring public confidence and accountability in a postal system that, in some respects, has lost its way,” commented NAA President and CEO John F. Sturm. “NAA has long been calling for the creation of such a commission to take a hard look at the service now and for the future, and we are encouraged by the president’s action today.

“While there’s no doubt that the economy, along with the drop in volume and cost of security measures following the anthrax attacks, left the Postal Service with financial problems, it simply cannot continue to pass along mounting operational costs by raising prices, as it has done three times in less than two years,” Sturm said. “We believe the commission should start with a thorough examination of the Postal Service’s resources for a clear, unbiased picture of where the Postal Service stands financially. Solutions to these and other problems may require difficult choices by the Administration and by the Congress, but that’s precisely what this commission must present to the government after an exhaustive overview of the system.

“If the commission can get to the very foundation of USPS operations and find innovative, broad-based solutions to fix what’s not working, the commission can help build a viable postal system that’s relevant now and in the future,” Sturm added. “Like all Americans, the newspaper industry, which spends close to $1 billion a year on postage, has a vested interest in a healthy, vibrant and well-run Postal Service that serves the best interests of businesses and individual citizens alike in a fair and non-discriminatory manner.”