HR0685 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0685 LRB097 16033 GRL 61185 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced plans to study the potential closure or conversion of post offices in the City of Springfield, including the Colonel John H. Wilson, Jr. (Springfield Main) post office located at 2105 East Cook Street in Springfield; and

WHEREAS, Springfield is the capital of the State of Illinois and the home of Abraham Lincoln, a former postmaster of New Salem from 1833 to 1836, and later the 16th President of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Colonel John H. Wilson, Jr. was a Springfield native who fought for the United States during World War I, earning the Silver Star for his gallantry; he worked for the USPS for 57 years and was the first black person to obtain the rank of Colonel in the United States Army Reserves; and

WHEREAS, The post offices in Springfield under consideration for closure serve a population of approximately 150,000 residents; the main post office in Springfield is located is in an area which consists of more than 75% minority population and where the median annual household income is less than $16,000; and

WHEREAS, The USPS was established under the provisions of the United States Constitution, and is charged under the principles of universal service obligation to provide a range of products, access to services and facilities, delivery frequency, affordable and uniform pricing, service quality, and security of the mail; and

WHEREAS, Many residents of the affected neighborhoods do not have easy access to transportation and must rely upon postal service centers within walking distance or within close proximity to homes and businesses; and

WHEREAS, It is anticipated that if the Springfield Processing and Distribution Center is closed, the mail processing will be transferred to and consolidated with the St. Louis Processing and Distribution Center (St. Louis P&DC); and

WHEREAS, In the Audit Report of Postal Service Performance During the 2010 Fall Mailing Season, issued September 7, 2011, the St. Louis P & DC had the second highest percentage of delayed mail as a percent of first-handled pieces, which was caused from not adjusting mail flow, sort plans, and staffing timely to meet operational requirements and from not accurately identifying and reporting delayed mail; and

WHEREAS, The Audit Report noted that the service scores for the St. Louis P & DC generally lagged behind the national service scores; and

WHEREAS, The tourism industry, which is a substantial portion of the local economy, also contributes substantial demand for postal services, including the first day issuances of a number of commemorative items celebrating the home town of Abraham Lincoln; and

WHEREAS, The closure of the Springfield Post Office will have a dramatic negative impact on mail service throughout central Illinois, including the occurrence of substantial delays for mail service by using the St. Louis P & DC instead of the Springfield Post Office, the inability to obtain metered mail from the home town of Abraham Lincoln, and the additional expense incurred for local mail to be sent for processing to and from the St. Louis P & DC; and

WHEREAS, Closure of post offices in the City of Springfield will likely result in a loss of jobs in the inner-city at a time of economic recession that disproportionately affects the lives and livelihoods of inner-city residents; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Postmaster General and the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission to maintain full postal services in the City of Springfield that provide all residents with uniform access to affordable, secure and dependable mail delivery, postal boxes, and related services; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we further urge the USPS to provide meaningful opportunities for public input in the process of studying potential closure or conversion of post offices in the City of Springfield, including the timely scheduling of public meetings accessible to all residents; and be it further

RESOLVED, That any residents, business owners, and all others interested in maintaining and promoting access to affordable, dependable, and secure postal services in the City of Springfield are urged to express their concerns to the USPS by contacting the Postmaster General, the U.S. Postal Regulatory Commission, and the Springfield Postmaster and to attend and participate in public meetings on these matters; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the members of the Illinois congressional delegation, the United States Postmaster General, the United States Postal Regulatory Commission, and the Springfield Postmaster.