Postage costs increase

By Howell Dennis

CITY EDITOR

CROWLEY – With the postage hike going into effect on Monday, many area residents are buying Forever stamps at a torrid pace.

The cost of sending a first-class letter rose to 42 cents Monday. However, the Forever stamps - currently selling for 41 cents - will remain valid for full postage after the increase. Forever stamps were introduced last year and more than 6 billion have been sold, with the rate increasing as the rate increase date approached.

In March the post office sold $267,696,023 in Forever stamps which was up from $207,900,132 in February and $115,303,031 in January.

Unlike the Forever stamps, other 41-cent stamps will require additional postage when the new rates take effect. Postal officials said they printed an additional 1.5 billion 1-cent stamps in anticipation of the demand.

For the first time, the Post Office had stamps available for the new rate before the change took place. A set of five 42-cent stamps honoring pioneering journalists went on sale last week, as did a set of four stamps featuring the American flag flying at different times of the day.