Email is hurting the US Postal Service.

Their latest 1.8% 1st class postage increase won’t help much either, their critics say.

Lexington County mailers say postal reform is needed.

The Chronicle has absorbed increased costs of mailing the print editions to our subscribers. We don’t know how much longer we can do this.

USPS officials say they aim to lose less money than they had expected.

An improving economy has brought in more mail.

The USPS maintains its rates are still lower than FedEx, UPS and others.

When 1st-class postage jumped from 50¢ to 55¢ in 2019, greeting-card volume plummeted, reversing 3 consecutive years of growth.

Greeting card makers argue that cost increases will drive out more mail.

About the only good news is that the 55¢ Forever Stamp hasn’t risen.

The USPS has raised prices 1.8% for 1st-Class Mail and 1.5% for other postage.

• A letter stamp costs 55¢.

• Metered mail 1 oz price rose to 51¢.

• Postcards rose to 36¢.

• 1-oz flats are still $1. The Postal Service says it:

• Has the lowest lettermail postage rates in the industrialized world.

• Receives no tax dollars for operating expenses.

• Relies on sales of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

• Does not add surcharges for fuel, home delivery or regular Saturday delivery as some other shippers do.

Price changes at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.