US Postage Stamps’ Prices Expected to Rise 2 Cents

The US Postal Service is hoping to increase stamp prices in 2011, to fill part of a large budget deficit.
US Postage Stamps’ Prices Expected to Rise 2 Cents
The new USPS evergreen forever stamps. (Courtesy of United States Postal Service)
7/7/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/Evergreens-Forever.jpg" alt="The new USPS evergreen forever stamps.  (Courtesy of United States Postal Service)" title="The new USPS evergreen forever stamps.  (Courtesy of United States Postal Service)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1817693"/></a>
The new USPS evergreen forever stamps.  (Courtesy of United States Postal Service)
The US Postal Service is hoping to increase stamp prices in 2011, to fill part of a large budget deficit.

The USPS is recommending that First Class postage stamps be raised by 2 cents to 46 cents-the first stamp price increase in two years, according to a press release. If the recommended increase is approved by the Postal Regulatory commission, postcards will also cost 2 cents more than the current price, 28 cents.

The new pricing package also offers a new image for the Forever Stamps-a pane of four evergreen tree branches on each stamp. These stamps are named Holiday Evergreen Forever Stamps and they will be available for 44 cents in October. These stamps will remain valid regardless of any future price changes.

The proposed price hikes for the stamps are part of a solution for the budget gap that has formed for the USPS during the recent recession. The USPS is facing continually dropping mail volume as more and more people are using the internet and sending emails instead.

The postage price increased is expected to raise about 2.3 billion dollars, short of the needed 7 billion. Postmaster General John E. Potter said that he has no intentions of increasing the prices dramatically.

“There is no one single solution to the dire financial situation that the Postal Service faces,” he said. “These proposed rate adjustments are moderate and part of a fair and balanced approach to insuring mail service for all Americans well into the future.”