Posted on 07/19/2012 8:50:15 PM PDT by MrPiper
48 hrs, 1 lb package $5 bucks.
9405509699938019982751 Priority Mail® Delivered July 19, 2012, 2:47 pm GLEN, NH 03838 Delivery Confirmation™
Accepted at USPS Origin Sort Facility July 17, 2012, 2:19 pm DAPHNE, AL 36526
I would have loved to meet the man so questioning, yet so secure in his convictions, that he dared to try them. It would have been my pleasure to be humbled by his notice. You, I will bid adieu.
Although the Postal Service does not obtain direct federal appropriations (with a minor exception), its claims that it receives no government aid are deceptive because they ignore numerous, valuable implicit government subsidies. Unlike private-sector businesses, the Postal Service never owes federal income taxes, state and local income taxes, state and local sales taxes, or state and local gross receipts taxes; it is exempt from inventory and property taxes on assets it owns; and it pays a low-cost alternative to the unemployment tax. The government also subsidizes the Postal Service by granting it numerous regulatory favors and governmental powers. Some of the most important ones are exemption from motor vehicle licensing and registration requirements, immunity from parking tickets, exemption from local zoning and land use regulations, immunity from antitrust laws, and power of eminent domain. Moreover, the Postal Service's government connection enables it to borrow at a subsidized interest rate. The Postal Service's indirect government subsidies, which are sweeping even compared to those at other government owned or sponsored businesses, hide financial weaknesses at the agency and are a drain on government treasuries at the national, state, and local levels.This report estimates the magnitude of several of the Postal Service's hidden government subsidies and finds that the total dollar amount may exceed $1 billion annually. The report estimates that, on the Postal Service's operations in 1997, its income tax exemptions gave it a subsidy of approximately $500 million, about $415 million from the federal government and about $75 million from state and local governments. An estimate of the Postal Service's total income tax, sales tax, and property tax subsidies in 1997 is $1.2 billion. Moreover, because these estimates omit some tax and regulatory benefits, they understate the full amount of the government aid. If the Postal Service had lost its subsidies—that is, if it had been treated comparably to other businesses—it likely would have been forced to report a loss in 1997.
I like USPS. All revenue is from counter sales. The Fed screws it continuously.
Unlike those other agencies, USPS is self-funding via counter sales.
Congress should leave the PO alone and concentrate on the all important job of overseeing baseball. /s
Congress is a #ing joke.
I have sent at least 40 flat-rate boxes, loaded with all kinds of food and other items, to Iraq and Afghanistan at a cost of about $12 / box. (Most of these went to combat Marines at forward operating positions, ie., way outside the wire.) I know a lot of the transport was done by Marines but no matter how you cut it that’s a great deal.
The USPS made sure the boxes got to Iraq and Afghanistan.
For $12 each.
It is prohibited by law from making a profit anyway!
Regarding state and local licensure, property taxes, etc, USPS is a large enough entity that should this ever be a problem it could easily relocate all its major facilities in a state imposing such penalties to another nearby state that didn't. It is anticipated that the states would be quite competitive given the rather environmentally benign character of your typical postal operation.
That is to say, if Massachusetts wanted to tax USPS, they could move to surrounding states to avoid such a tax.
Now all of that is separate and apart from the fact USPS Is a wholly owned creation of the federal government which acted under the "post office and post roads" clause. It is simply not taxable by a state, nor can it be regulated by a state.
Regarding zoning and land use laws, USPS is subject to a federal law that encourages it to adhere to local and state laws in that regard anyway. In addition USPS long ago announced it would follow such laws to be a good neighbor. On top of that, however, federal law does allow USPS and DOD to FILL WETLANDS! So, if you want that to happen, what you do is get USPS to bring in a facility and fill those wetlands. In about 75 years you'll find that property back on the market all nice and dry!
The whole point of the prefunding fund was to balance the federal budget ~ to close the deficit. Listen to the Senate committee that came up with the idea ~ this wasn't done to fill any postal need, nor even, really, to do anything about employee retirement. No one working at USPS today, or who has ever worked for USPS would benefit from this particular deal.
In effect, this was nothing but USPS being forced to subsidize the US government!
Other federal pensions are not.
USPS could collapse and go out of business and that would not affect postal pensions.
The fact you melded the two different functions and organizations together suggests you are just spouting and have nothing behind it.
The postal CEO is called the Postmaster General. He has no authority whatsoever over the Postal Rate Commission.
They didn't come up with the money!
Books? USPS is generally pretty good in my area, but the occassional screw up can ruin a day - especially if you didn’t even realize the imprtant letter/package that didn’t get delivered was on the way.
Fully funded assuming the administrators earn 8%/year return on funds, and assuming Uncle stupid stands ready to make up any deficit.
Yes, I contacted the post office each time. I asked that the packages be tracked and their policy is to *WAIT 30 DAYS” before they track.
I guess that gives the postal worker(s) time to cover their tracks.
Source?
Source for what? How pension systems work? What assumptions apply? Look it up.
Exactly why they are failing. Exactly why they should be privatized.
The Office of Personnel Management plays the part of "the Administrator" ~ but they do not have the investment latitude of the private sector, or the state and local governments.
We need to know where, exactly, you got your numbers for the investment plan we are talking about.
UPS only asks for a signature if the sender requested proof of delivery with signature (extra charge).
The USPS asks for a signature if the package is insured for over $50 and will leave a note in your mailbox if there is no one home.
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