Postal increase forces price hike

LAUREL— For the first time in several years, the Laurel Advocate will be raising its news stand rate, as well as its annual subscription rates.

In April, the U. S. Postal Service filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission of mailing services price changes to take effect July 14, 2024.

The new rates include a 5-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, from 68 cents to 73 cents. The rate increases, approved by the governors of the Postal Service, also call for a 7.8 percent increase for mailing a periodical-class piece of mail.

This is the sixth postage increase since August 2021.

This marks the second postal rate increase of the year for the newspaper industry. Newspapers received two rate increases last year, as well.

“We’ve been trying to absorb these costs for years,” Laurel Advocate Publisher Rob Dump said. “We simply can’t afford to keep doing that.”

Dump said he realizes no one likes to have to pay more for something, but there is simply no alternative.

“The only way we can afford to stay in business is by starting to pass some of these increased expenses on to our customers,” he said.

Even though the local newspaper will now cost $1.50 at the newstand, it’s well worth the price, he said.

“You stop at the mini mart and buy a Coke, you’re going to pay $2.49. A bottle of water is $1.99. People plunk down their money at the counter, rarely giving it a second thought,” he said. “I would certainly hope our customers believe that local news, and having local news reporters and photographers in town is worth at least that.”