Make the case before any closing

The Gazette Editorial Board

----

Dear United States Postal Service Director:

We read with interest recent reports that the postal service is studying the possibility of closing its Cedar Rapids mail processing and distribution center, which employs 200 people.

And we figured sending a letter would be the best way to approach the issue. Given that mail volume nationwide has dropped by 43 billion pieces over the past five years, including a steep 36 percent drop in stamped First Class items, we thought the USPS might appreciate a little business. Well, OK, this “letter” is being delivered to some customers by mail at the periodicals rate.

The point is, that dramatic reduction in volume and revenue is pushing you to slash costs and streamline operations. The postal service is set to run a $10 billion deficit this year, and the flow of read ink shows no sign of slowing.

Already, 186 processing facilities have been closed since 2006, and the 250 centers under consideration for closure, including Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Carroll and Creston in Iowa, would mean the loss of 35,000 jobs.

Saturday delivery is on its way out, along with hundreds of small-town post offices in Iowa and across the country. So we understand that when it comes to cuts, nothing is sacred.

Still, we urge the postal service to study these processing center closures carefully. We want to know exactly how much the Cedar Rapids closure would save, and what effect it will have on the quality of mail delivery for the residents of Eastern Iowa.

The loss of jobs anytime, but especially now, is painful. The local economy is recovering, but that recovery should be marked “fragile.” The USPS must convince us that these losses are necessary in the broader national interest.

And we also request that local citizens be given ample opportunity to weigh in on whatever recommendations result from the study, before a final decision. As postal customers, employees and citizens, we deserve the chance to be heard.

Sincerely, The Gazette Editorial Board.

n Comments: thegazette.com/category/opinion/editorial or editorial@sourcemedia.net