TCDC News, Events and Opinion

The US Post Office - USPS - raised postage rates on July 13. A first-class stamp went up from 73¢ to 78¢ a 6.8 percent increase. Other rates will also increase for an overall hike of about 7.4 percent.

It's too late to invest in Forever Stamps, at least until the next rate increase. You can't easily sell a hoard of stamps but, if you plan to use them eventually (like, holiday season or some kind of mass mailing), they're a better investment than you can get from a bank, less risky than the stock market, and more predictable than gasoline. If you bought Forever Stamps before July 13, they're now worth 6.8 percent more, almost overnight.

This increase follows on the heels of two changes in 2024 (from 0.66 to 0.73) and two more in 2023 (from 0.60 to 0.66). That's a 30-month simple-interest rate of 30 percent, or about 11 percent per year, compounded. A good investment!

Prices for large-scale mailings have also increased - and by a much larger percentage than first class stamps. TCDC has a bulk mailing permit that can be used by its committees and by Democratic candidates. The fee schedule is not simple, but the average postage for a mailpiece has risen from 35¢ to between 37¢ and 39¢... roughly, an 8 percent increase, depending on where in Tompkins County the mailpieces are addressed. For a complete description of the mailing process, contact Ted Crane or 607.269.5278.