Archive for Rural Issues
USPS To Add 8% Fuel Fee To Package Costs
by John Weckerle
The USPS will begin charging an additional 8% fee for packages beginning April 26, 2026 as part of the effort to stabilize the finances of the Post Office. Other changes under consideration include raising the price of a stamp from $0.78 to $1.00; reducing delivery from 6 to 5 days a week; and closing post offices, especially in remote areas. All of these policies disproportionately affect rural, low-income, and Tribal populations.
People who live in remote areas rely on USPS for delivery of important packages – including medications and other necessities. Other services are often unaffordable, unavailable and unreliable in these areas. Small-scale online businesses – and other businesses – in these localities often rely on the post office for shipping products and receiving materials. The 8% fee and potential increase in stamp price will have a greater impact on rural small businesses and individuals than on those in urban areas. Imagine an 8% increase in the cost of both obtaining materials and shipping products and the effects on businesses that rely on USPS can be substantial. Shipping and handling increases for goods (basic supplies, medication, etc.) will raise the cost of those items. Add to that the cost of first class mail – on which USPS has a monopoly – will result in overall costs to rural customers who rely on the mail for correspondence, including such things as paying bills, contacting elected officials, and similar actions. This will hit areas with limited access to broadband internet service especially hard, and affects low-income populations even more so.
The proposal to close post offices leaves rural communities especially at risk. This follows reductions in hours at many rural locations to the point that people who work for a living face a challenge in getting to the post office. Degrading the service further where mail is already slow and alternatives are scarce can introduce higher risk for health, income timing, and civic access in rural and Tribal communities. Also, let’s not forget the loss of wages for postal carriers in areas that need income the most.
USPS has lost money every year since 2007. This is a problem, but it’s not clear that degrading the service and putting remote populations at risk is the answer. It may be time to reconsider the concept of the post office as an “independent agency” and perhaps bring Federal funding back to the table. The “standalone” version of USPS is clearly not working for the American people, especially those in rural, low-income, and Tribal communities. This is going to take Congressional action.
We’ve asked Microsoft Copilot to collect contact information for New Mexico’s Senators and Representatives. I haven’t confirmed all of this information but a representative sample has proven accurate. It is provided below.
New Mexico’s U.S. Senators
Sen. Martin Heinrich (D)
Washington, DC Office
- Address: 709 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
- Phone: 202?224?5521
- Fax: 202?228?2841
- Online contact form: Available on his website
New Mexico Offices - Albuquerque: 400 Gold Ave SW, Ste 1080 — 505?346?6601
- Farmington: 7450 East Main St, Ste A — 505?325?5030
- Las Cruces: 201 North Church St, Ste 305 — 575?523?6561
- Roswell: 200 East 4th St, Ste 300 — 575?622?7113
- Santa Fe: 123 East Marcy St, Ste 103 — 505?988?6647
Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D)
Washington, DC Office
- Address: 498 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
- Phone: 202?224?6621
- Online contact form: Available on his website
New Mexico Offices - Albuquerque: 500 Marquette Ave NW, Ste 1460 — 505?337?7023
- Las Cruces: 201 North Church St, Ste 201B — 575?288?4644
- Las Vegas: 1103 National Ave, Room 210 — 505?398?9465
- Portales: 100 South Ave A, Ste 113 — 575?252?6188
- Santa Fe: 120 South Federal Place, Ste 302 — 505?230?7040
?? New Mexico’s U.S. Representatives
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D) — District 1
Washington, DC Office
- Address: 1421 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
- Phone: 202?225?6316
- Contact form: https://stansbury.house.gov/contact
- Website: https://stansbury.house.gov/
District Office - Albuquerque: 6301 Indian School Rd NE, Ste 420 — 505?346?6781
Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D) — District 2
Washington, DC Office
- Address: 1517 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
- Phone: 202?225?2365
- Contact form: https://vasquez.house.gov/contact
- Website: https://vasquez.house.gov/
District Offices - Albuquerque: 201 Unser Blvd NW, Unit 116 — 505?208?4777
- Carlsbad: 101 N. Halagueno St, Room 213?B
- Las Cruces: 115 W. Griggs Ave — 575?323?6390
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D) — District 3
Washington, DC Office
- Address: 1510 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
- Phone: 202?225?6190
- Fax: 202?226?1528
- Contact form: https://fernandez.house.gov/contact
- Website: https://fernandez.house.gov/
District Offices - Clovis: 418 Main St — 575?218?5770
- Gallup: 207 West Hill Ave, Office 301A — 505?551?4696
- Las Vegas: 1103 National Ave, Room 101 — 505?570?7558
- Santa Fe: 120 S Federal Pl, Ste 323 — 505?428?4680