00                      SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 12                                                                    
01 Urging the United States Postal Service to reduce the rate increase for bypass mail in                                  
02 Alaska.                                                                                                                 
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
04       WHEREAS the bypass mail system developed by the United States Postal Service                                    
05 has helped stabilize rural communities and economies, prevented overloading of postal                                   
06 facilities, greatly reduced the cost of handling nonpriority mail, and enhanced affordable,                             
07 reliable, and safe passenger and freight service to rural Alaska; and                                                   
08       WHEREAS the nationwide increase in standard mail rates, which takes effect                                      
09 May 11, 2009, will result in a rate increase of more than 40 percent for Alaska bypass mail;                            
10 and                                                                                                                     
11       WHEREAS rural Alaskans depend almost entirely on bypass mail service for                                        
12 consumable items; and                                                                                                   
13       WHEREAS the rate increase on Alaska bypass mail will severely affect Alaska rural                               
14 residents, who already bear the highest food and energy costs in the nation; and                                        
15       WHEREAS the rate increase on Alaska bypass mail is too much, too fast, and too                                  
16 devastating; and                                                                                                        

01       WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature acknowledges that, under the current                                       
02 economic circumstances, the United States Postal Service must increase rates and lower costs                            
03 to continue providing a valuable service to the nation;                                                                 
04       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the United States Postal                                 
05 Service to reduce the postal rate increase on bypass mail in Alaska while continuing to work                            
06 with Alaska bypass shippers, carriers, and consumers to find ways to lower the costs of                                 
07 moving and handling mail in Alaska.