The U.S. Postal Service (USPS), which is really sort of a private business, has to make a $3.1 billion escrow payment in 2006. So, sometime in early 2006; the cost of a First-Class stamp will go up two cents, to 39 cents, while the postcard rate will rise to 24 cents.

The Postal Rate Commission approved the increase yesterday in support of the Postal Service’s request for an overall postage rate increase of about 5.4 percent.

USPS reminds consumers that this will be the first postage rate hike since 2002 and that the rate for First-Class mail has closely tracked the rate of inflation over the last 35 years.

Also See:
Postal Service: Agency or Private Business?
The Financial Woes of the US Postal Service (2001)