Mount Vernon News

MOUNT VERNON — Postage rates will be increased on Monday to 42 cents for first-class mail. However, Forever Stamps, which have been on sale for the past year for 41 cents, will continue to be valid after the rate increase.

This year’s increase follows last year’s 2-cent increase, from 39 to 41 cents, which took effect on May 14, 2007.

According to James Milicia, a postal clerk at the Danville Post Office, the reason for the rate increase is because of rising gasoline and diesel prices.

“With the rising fuel costs, so does the postage rate,” said Milicia.

He also said that in his position, he is not notified of postal rate increases until a few months before they will take effect.

Forty-one cent stamps will still be valid after the rate increase, but will require stamps of smaller value to make-up the difference.

“The post office always sells plenty of make-up stamps,” said Milicia. “Some of our customers [will] take it kind of hard. They don’t like to see their postage rates go up.”

However, he said, other customers realize that the increase is not for a profit, but simply to meet rising costs.

“With the sale of Forever Stamps, we’re making it easier on people,” said Milicia.

“It’s not so much the penny change in postage,” he continued, but the fact that customers have to return to the post office to buy extra stamps to make up the difference.

Forever Stamps will not change either, said Milicia, because they will always have an image of the Liberty Bell on them.

“Whoever is looking at their stamps will know that if it’s the Liberty Bell, it’s the Forever Stamp,” he said.

Andrea Sweeney was waiting in line at the Mount Vernon Post Office on Wednesday afternoon, and said she has bought the Forever Stamps during the past year, but was not aware of the upcoming rate increase.

“I still mail all my bills out, I don’t do [them] online,” said Sweeney. “With another increase, maybe I will [pay bills online].”

Mary Dye was also at the post office, and said she had also bought Forever Stamps in anticipation of the rate increase, “but not a tremendous amount.” Others at the Mount Vernon Post Office on Wednesday afternoon were also unaware that postal rates were set to increase.