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Presidential Commission
Burrus Update #16-02, Sept. 5, 2002
On Sept. 4, 2002, at the request of the Secretary of the Treasury, I met with Undersecretary Peter Fisher to discuss the issue of a presidential commission on the future of the Postal Service.
The American Postal Workers vigorously opposes such a commission because we believe political appointees who favor privatization will use it to give their views an air of validity they do not deserve. I expressed our views to Secretary Fisher without equivocation.
Over the summer Congress rejected postal reform legislation that included a provision establishing an appointed committee similar to a presidential commission. Some segments of the mailing community, having failed to achieve their objective through legislation, are now urging President Bush to create a commission. They hope to use the prestige of a presidential commission to accomplish what they have been unable to accomplish through the political process: dismantling the Postal Service.
A litmus test for appointment to the commission would probably include support for the view that competition is the solution to all problems. Recognizing the value of the Postal Service as a government institution responsible for conveying information, ideas and commerce probably would not be considered among the important criteria.
A presidential commission will cite postage rate increases, technological changes, postal productivity and USPS deficits to justify the erosion of the basic pillars of postal services: six-day delivery, universal service and uniform rates. A presidential commission would begin with a predetermination to reduce one or more of these fundamental services, using the factors listed above as justification. The end result, privatization of postal services, would be predictable.
The American Postal Workers Union believes that the Postal Service is fundamentally sound and that there is no need for a politically appointed commission. The limited legislative changes needed - to permit the Postal Service to adjust postage rates consistent with inflation and in small and even increments, and to permit flexible rates based upon volume and unexpected occurrences - can be achieved within the legislative arena, and without the interference of a commission.
The Postal Board of Governors has adopted a position of neutrality, neither favoring nor opposing a presidential commission.*
We will keep you informed of further developments.
William Burrus
President
*NOTE: On Sep. 6, 2002, Chairman Rider announced that the Board of Governors does support a commission: "The Governors support all efforts for appropriate reform, including a commission of distinguished citizens to review all aspects of the postal system and recommend changes that ensure affordable, universal service is maintained into the future. We also continue to encourage members of Congress to adopt appropriate legislative change which need not await the recommendations of such a commission," Rider said.
