When it comes to mail delivery, don't leave rural America behind

McCook Daily Gazette: Column: McCook Daily Gazette: When it comes to mail delivery, don't leave rural America behind: "Changing times and technology are catching up with the U.S. Postal Service, as e-mail, online bill pay and other electronic services take over for 'snail mail.'
New Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, who was sworn into office earlier this month, wants to cut 7,500 administrative jobs through attrition, including those of postmasters.
He has a problem. The postal service, which is set up to be self-supporting, forecasts a $6.4 billion loss for its 2011 fiscal year, which ends in September.
'Eighty percent of our offices don't cover our costs, and the law prevents us from closing those,' said spokeswoman Sue Brennan. 'But we're looking for ways to cut costs.
As a sign of the times, the Postal Service's application for Apple Inc.'s iPhone is the number one free business app, and more and more of us are buying postage online or at alternate sites.
Some post offices in rural areas are staffed solely by a postmaster, costing perhaps $90,000 to operate while bringing in $10,000 in revenue."