On Oct. 6th, the US Postal Service sent a new rate change proposal to the Postal Regulatory Commission. If the Commission approves the proposal, which based on recent history typically amounts to a rubber stamp, new rates will be implemented after the stroke of midnight on Sunday, January 21st.
The rate changes impact all postal categories and products. Overall rates will increase by about 2%; however, core catalog products, such as Marketing Mail flats and Carrier Route flats, will be subject to an extra 2% surcharge. (The ACMA has formerly requested a waiver of this surcharge for Carrier Route as it is expected to be compensatory once the costs are known in March.) The First Class stamp would rise from 66 to 68 cents.
Click here for a chart documenting all the rate changes. The ACMA will be reviewing the proposed increases and provide further guidance to members in the coming weeks.