Reliable postal service in urban neighborhoods anchors vital communications, business enterprise and community organizing. Of course, the same remains true for suburban and rural settings. The local post office serves as an essential gathering place, a crossroads of sorts for residents and business owners and operators.
Economically and historically, the postal service has opened a pathway into the middle class for millions of workers of color. The postal service must not be regarded as just another business. In fact, it is much, much more. The ongoing subsidy required to keep the mail moving is a vital investment in the nation's life and well-being.
But now we notice a marked change in postal service quality. At least we do here in inner-city East Dallas.
Our experience with the postal service over the past 3 years or so presents a marked change in quality, reliability and scheduling. Our bills must be mailed much earlier to assure they make the payment deadline in many cases, both for local delivery and for out of city and state obligations.
We've noted that much more often than ever before days with no mail delivered to our home.
It reached the point for us that we asked one of our letter carriers what was up. She described exactly what recent news reports indicate. The Trump administration's management combines the removal of automated sorting machines with a new policy of no overtime pay for postal workers. Our carrier reported to us that, thanks to this policy, mail backing up for several days is not uncommon.
Frankly, this erosion of service and reliability aggravates me. It is downright annoying.
It also concerns me more and at a deeper level as we consider the potential impact of this new policy on mail in ballots for the coming general election in November 2020.
It may be past time to get on the phone, fire off an email or, yes, write letters. If you decide on a letter, just factor in a couple of weeks for delayed delivery!
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