Postman, spare that mural

What do The Riverdale Press and murals by the great social realist painter Ben Shahn have in common? They’re both jeopardized by the impending sale of the Bronx General Post Office at 149th Street and the Grand Concourse.

It’s no secret that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is in dire financial straits as electronic communication has greatly reduced the number of first class letters, catalogues and direct mail solicitations being sent, not just in the Bronx, but across the country.

The USPS appears to be at a loss to come up with a long-term solution to bring itself back to solvency. Instead, it is casting about for short-term fixes that may bring in a bit more revenue for now, but put it in a weaker position in the future.

Recent price increases on a number of classes of mail, for instance, will only hasten the migration from “snail mail” to e-mail and Internet use. Mass mailers and publications that send out thousands of pieces throughout the year are already considering alternate means of delivery. Aggressive pricing could end up forcing some of the postal service’s largest and steadiest customers into the hands of its competitors.

Shuttering and selling off post offices — a nationwide trend — doesn’t just inconvenience residents, it endangers historic art and architecture and it complicates delivery of the mail. The Press and other community newspapers in the Bronx depend on the USPS to deliver each week’s edition to subscribers in a timely way. Over the years, more and more of what used to be the responsibility of the post office is now handled by publishers. We pre-sort our papers in carrier route walking order and file immediate reports of each issue’s weight and percentage of advertising, literally writing our own bills. Nevertheless, prices keep on rising.