WASHINGTON — Privatization of the U.S. Postal Service would affect services for thousands of people in Virginia, according to a new report.
Research by the Institute for Policy Studies found efforts to privatize the Postal Service could increase costs for more than 102 million Americans and result in possible service cuts.
Sarah Anderson, program director at the Institute for Policy Studies and the report’s co-author said rural and suburban communities are most at risk.
“Without competition from a public service that has the mandate to provide affordable delivery to every address in America, people in these areas in particular could expect to lose affordable delivery and might lose their delivery at their homes altogether,” Anderson warned.
President Donald Trump has publicly discussed privatizing the Postal Service, citing financial losses by the agency. His adviser Elon Musk has also voiced his support for the move. One analysis found Postal Service pricing was between 25% and 60% lower than its major competitors.
Supporters of the Postal Service argued the service is a public good meant to serve all Americans, regardless of cost. Anderson pointed out the agency provides quality services and jobs to communities across the country.
“There are certain parts of our economy that should remain public services, not just a part of the for-profit model,” Anderson contended. “If we do just switch to a profit-maximizing model for our postal service, there are a lot of people who are going to be harmed, particularly in rural areas.”
A poll by the Pew Research Center found the Postal Service is the second-most popular federal agency in the nation, behind the National Park Service.
