By ED RONCO
The State News

Mechanical engineering senior Jeff Bullock used to write home for 33 cents, but as of Sunday that became more expensive.

The U.S. Postal Service, with rising costs and falling revenues, raised the price of first-class postage by 1 cent Sunday, setting the new rate at 34 cents.

Spokesman Don Smeraldi said 4 billion 1-cent stamps have been sent out to more than 38,000 post offices across the country to help people use their remaining 33-cent stamps.

Bullock purchased his 1-cent stamps Friday afternoon.

“It’s more of an inconvenience,” he said. “I wish they’d wait and raise them more substantially, like 5 cents every five years.”

However, East Lansing resident Barbara Backus feels an extra penny isn’t unreasonable.

“I don’t really mind,” she said. “I trust they wouldn’t be asking for it if they didn’t need it.”

The U.S. Postal Service said any letters already in mailboxes when the change took place will be handled. However, any new mail without the appropriate postage will be returned to the sender and will not be delivered.

The postal service proposed the new rates a year ago. On Nov. 13 the proposal was approved by the Independent Postal Rate Commission, but not without a few changes.

The commission made cuts in the original rate increases proposed by the post office, decreasing the cost of additional ounces of first class mail and post cards. While the first ounce of first-class mail will cost 34 cents, additional ounces will cost 21 cents each, down a penny from the previous rate. The rate for pos cards remains unchanged, at 20 cents.

In addition to changes in the cost of first-class postage, rates have also been increased on international mail, Express Mail, Priority Mail, parcel post, periodicals and advertising mail.

United Parcel Service and Federal Express, the post office’s two largest competitors, have followed suit; both have rate-hikes that take effect in February.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.