1999

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 99-027

BY SENATORS Owen, Andrews, Arnold, Blickensderfer, Powers, Wattenberg, Anderson, Congrove, Dyer, Epps, Evans, Hillman, Lacy, Musgrave, Reeves, and Teck;

also REPRESENTATIVES Spence, Allen, Dean, Fairbank, George, Johnson, Kester, Lee, McElhany, McKay, McPherson, Mitchell, Nunez, Paschall, Pfiffner, Spradley, Tool, T. Williams, Zimmerman, Alexander, Johnson, Miller, and Sinclair.

CONCERNING A REQUEST FOR THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO STRENGTHEN THE AUTHORITY OF THE POSTAL RATE COMMISSION.

WHEREAS, The United States Postal Service, an agency of the federal government, holds a monopoly on first­class mail and certain bulk mail services and generates annual multi­million dollar surpluses from its services; and

WHEREAS, The United States Postal Service has in recent years expanded its activities beyond its core mission of universal mail service to include many competitive and nonpostal related business products and services, such as consumer goods, telephone calling cards, and cellular towers, in direct competition with Colorado private sector enterprises; and

WHEREAS, The United States Postal Service has used surplus revenues from universal mail service to expand into these competitive and nonpostal activities with no evidence that these activities benefit the citizens of Colorado by improving regular mail service; and

WHEREAS, The United States Postal Service enjoys monopoly advantages in the marketplace over private sector enterprises, with its ability to maintain lower prices for competitive products due to the multi­million dollar surpluses generated from first­class postage; and

WHEREAS, The United States Postal Service enjoys many marketplace advantages not available to private sector enterprises, including exemptions from state and local taxes, parking fees, local zoning ordinances, vehicle use taxes, vehicle licensing fees, and other state and local government regulations, that deprive Colorado state and local governments of needed revenue and fees to offset the effect of the United States Postal Service's operations on highways, law enforcement, and air quality; and

WHEREAS, The Postal Rate Commission does not have binding authority over the actions or activities of the United States Postal Service related to setting postal rates, entering new business sectors, or using surplus revenues from first­class mail to compete with the private sector; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty­second General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:

That we, the members of the Sixty­second General Assembly, hereby urge the United States Congress, particularly the members for Colorado's Congressional delegation, to introduce and pass legislation in the 106^th Congress to strengthen the oversight power and the authority of the Postal Rate Commission to include:

(1)  Subpoena power to examine all records and financial data of the United States Postal Service in order to make informed decisions on postal rate increases, pricing actions, and product offerings;

(2)  Jurisdiction and final approval authority on all domestic and international postal rate adjustments; and

(3)  Authority over all competitive and nonpostal business endeavors, including all products and services outside the scope of universal mail service.

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to each member of the United States Congress.

_________________________ _________________________

Ray Powers Russell George

PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES

_________________________ _________________________

Patricia K. Dicks Judith M. Rodrigue

SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE

THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES