1-Cent Postal Hike Takes Effect Sunday

Jackie Winbigler stood in a long line Thursday afternoon at a Postal Service branch to purchase 1-cent stamps in preparation for the first-class rate increase taking effect Sunday.

Winbigler, 69, of Northridge, said she wanted to avoid the mad rush she encountered in 1999, the last time first-class postage went up.

“I don’t like to stand in this busy line, but we can’t fight it, so we may as well go along with it,” Winbigler said. “I’m here today because I want to buy them before the deadline.”

Postal employee Bruce Van Noy said 1-cent stamps were plentiful, but customers might have to wait in line.

“There were lots of long lines and all this week it’s been really bad, but next week it will be worse,” he said.

Ken Claube, 40, of Van Nuys, said he did not mind paying the extra penny, but he did not like the “hassle” of going to the post office to supplement his 33-cent stamps.

The first of the new 34-cent stamps will bear neither a cash amount nor a generic letter. Instead, they will carry an image of flowers, the Statue of Liberty or an American flag over farmland, and the phrase “USA First-Class.” In later printings, the phrase “First-Class” will be replaced by the 34-cent amount.

“This is the first time the U.S. Postal Service did not put a letter on the stamps because it was determined to be easier to go with non-denominated stamps,” said David Mazer, manager of public affairs for the postal service in Southern California.