Oregon Town of La Pine Honors USPS 250th Anniversary with Signed Proclamation!

On Oct. 8, Jeannine Earls, Mayor of the town of La Pine, OR, signed a proclamation honoring the 250th anniversary of the public Postal Service. Greater Oregon Area Local Treasurer Linda O’Donnell, with the assistance of the APWU Auxiliary, worked together to secure the proclamation.

La Pine, a small town in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, has a population of just over 2,500 and is located in an isolated area of Central Oregon. Rural communities, like La Pine, rely on the public services that only a public Postal Service can provide. Due to its congressionally mandated Universal Service Obligation (USO) to deliver to all 169 million addresses, rural or urban, the Postal Service connects communities across the country, no matter where one lives or works. Rural communities depend on the Postal Service for many things, including essential medications and to safely and securely vote by mail in democratic elections.

A privatized Postal Service would only be driven by profit margins, and private companies would only go where they can make a profit. Sections of our population could lose mail service entirely, and prices for services would increase according to demand for their own profit.

That is why now, more than ever, it is important that we stand together against the growing threats of privatization and fight for another 250 years and beyond for a public Postal Service. The APWU is encouraging members to work with their union officers and collaborate with local and state government bodies — including city councils, county commissions, mayoral offices, and state legislatures — to pass proclamations recognizing 250 years of public services and affirm support for the public Postal Service.

For more information on the APWU National Proclamation Campaign and how you can get involved, visit: apwu.org/250