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BRIAN M. RIEDL may be a Grover M.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to fund its operations. It is a self-supporting government enterprise that is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses, and post office boxes. The Postal Service has 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited Web site in the federal government. It has been named the "most trusted government agency" for five consecutive years and the sixth-"most trusted business" in the nation by the Ponemon Institute. The Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world's mail.
His example of a $13,500 bill at Ruth's Chris is old news--it occurred in 2006, has been investigated, and was determined not excessive when compared with similar dinners hosted by shipping competitors in corporate America. The dinner was an efficient way for the four postal groups--from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Ana--to meet with major corporate clients all at the same time. It was the opinion of the GAO that the cost was excessive because it based its information on the total number of entrees ordered, not the actual number of attendees. Nor did it take into account what the costs would have been if each of the four districts had hosted in-dividual dinners at similar local restaurants.
As for being cash-strapped, the USPS would be operating in the black if not for the huge obligations imposed by Congress. Once Congress realized that a re-organized and efficient Postal Service had the ability to generate income, it immediately passed laws to tap into this cash cow to fund its own spending. The USPS is the only government agency that must contribute to a civil service escrow account and pay back retirement credits for military veterans. Eliminate these billions and postage rates will remain low. Perhaps Mr. Riedl should spend a little time doing research before he writes his articles.
I am proud to be one of the 600,000-plus USPS employees who "'go Postal' every day in the right way." We deliver 365 days a year; we are your neighbors, your family, and your friends; but we are not accepting or abusing your tax dollars.
Patricia M. Laverdet lives in Spotsylvania County.
