FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	
PR Contact: Media Relations
April 14, 2003	202-268-2155
	www.usps.com
	Release No. 33
	

30 MILLION RETURNS WON'T TAX
NON-SUBSIDIZED POSTAL OPERATIONS

WASHINGTON, DC - For many Americans, April 15 marks their annual late night trek to the 
post office to mail their taxes. To the IRS, it's a projected 30 million tax returns 
that are expected to enter the mail stream between now and midnight Tuesday. For the 
Postal Service, this April 15 marks a thirty percent increase in letter mail volume and 
the beginning of its third decade of operating without taxpayer support for postal 
operations.

"There are three common misconceptions often heard about the Postal Service," explained 
Vice President and Consumer Advocate Francia Smith. "The check's in the mail; don't 
worry, my dog won't bite; and, the Postal Service gets taxpayer money."

The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 created the Postal Service to operate as a public 
service in a businesslike manner without taxpayer support. It has generated its own 
revenues from the sales of stamps and related services without taxpayer subsidy for 
postal operations since 1982. Funding for some mail, such as free mail for the blind, 
overseas ballots, and the Free Mail privilege extended to military servicemembers 
overseas is reimbursed by Congress. Under the Homeland Security Act, the Postal Service 
received funding to support biohazard related detection and prevention activities. None 
of the security funding is used to support postal operations. 

As any business would do, the Postal Service is responding to customer needs by staying 
open late in many locations across America. Some post offices will be open until 
midnight Tuesday.

"We are encouraging customers to avoid the rush and mail their tax returns as early in 
the day as possible," Smith added. "Many Americans may have waited until the last day, 
but that doesn't mean waiting until the last minute." 

Smith suggested mailing tax returns on the way to work or through their workplace's out 
going mail.  "Customers depositing returns in a neighborhood collection box should make 
sure it is deposited before the last collection time listed on the box," she added. "All 
mail on April 15-tax returns included-receive the all-important April 15 postmark if 
mailed before the last collection time at the post office or collection box." 

To locate a post office visit www.usps.com and click "Locate Post Offices." Typing in 
the ZIP Code provides a list of local post offices along with directions to the 
facility, normal business hours and the phone number to call for more information. 
Customers can also call 1-800-ASK-USPS.

As of April 4, the IRS had received more than 80 million of the nation's 132 million 
federal tax returns. It expects to receive about 38 million by April 15 and 14 million 
throughout the remainder of the year.

Two-thirds of Americans continue to use the mail when filing taxes. The remaining 18 
million are filed electronically. The U.S. mail is still the most popular way for 
Americans to file/send their tax returns to the IRS. 

On an average day the Postal Service collects, processes and delivers 670 million pieces 
of mail. Of that 670 million, approximately 100 million represent cards and letters that 
are postmarked. Last year's postmarks on Monday, April 15 were 148 million. In 2001, 
with April 15 being a Sunday, the filing deadline was extended to midnight Monday, April 
16 when 135 million postmarks were recorded.

To handle this added volume, the Postal Service adjusts collection and mail processing 
operations to streamline mail flow to the IRS. 

Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and 
businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that makes deliveries to about 
140 million addresses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every 
address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine 
operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products 
and services. With annual revenues of more than $66 billion, it is the world's leading 
provider of mail and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage 
rates in the world. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 43 percent of the world's 
mail volume - some 203 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year 
- and serves seven million customers each day at its 38,000 retail locations nationwide.


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