Post office rejects request for rate hike delay

I just heard that the Governors of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) today approved an increase in the price of a First-Class stamp to 41 cents.

...but more important for fundraisers - they rejected a request for a year-long delay in the Not Flat-Machinable rates... which means direct mail is going to get a lot more expensive starting on May 14th. If you go to their website, it will say:

The Governors have concluded that three issues -- Standard Mail flats, the Nonmachinable Surcharge for First-Class Mail letters, and the Priority Mail Flat Rate Box -- would benefit from further consideration. In order to allow the Postal Service to seek reconsideration of the three matters which merit such treatment, as provided under the former provisions of 39 U.S.C. § 3625(c)(2), we approve the Recommended Decision and return those three matters to the Commission. The technical term for our decision is “allow under protest.” We ask the Commission to move as expeditiously as possible to give mailers a practical opportunity to plan effectively for future mailings.

Allow under protest, eh? I'm going to remember that the next time I need to deliver bad news to someone... and yes, while this is wonky stuff... make no mistake... this is bad news for direct mail fundraisers.