The United States Postal Service recently filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission of price changes to take effect July 10. The new prices, if favorably reviewed, include a two-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, from 58 cents to 60 cents.
The proposed prices, approved by the Governors of the U.S. Postal Service, would raise First-Class Mail prices approximately 6.5 percent, which is lower than the Bureau Labor Statistics annual inflation rate of 7.9 percent as of the end of February. The price changes reflect a judicious implementation of the Postal Service's pricing authority provided by the Postal Regulatory Commission.
The proposed Mailing Services price changes include:
| Product | Current Price | Planned Price |
|---|---|---|
| Letters (1 oz.) | 58 cents | 60 cents |
| Letters (metered 1 oz.) | 53 cents | 57 cents |
| Letters additional ounce(s) | 20 cents | 24 cents |
| Domestic Postcards | 40 cents | 44 cents |
| International Letter (1 oz.) | $1.30 | $1.40 |
As inflation and increased operating expenses continue, these price adjustments will help with the implementation of the Delivering for America plan, including a $40 billion investment in core Postal Service infrastructure over the next 10 years. With the new prices, the Postal Service will continue to provide the lowest letter-mail postage rates in the industrialized world and offer a great value in shipping.
The PRC will review the prices before they are scheduled to take effect.
Contacts
Doug Norwood, director
Mailing Services
479-575-5649, dwnorwo@uark.edu