Yesterday, the U.S.P.S. announced a number of cost-saving measures—closing six of 80 district offices and offering 150,000 employees early retirement— to save $100 million annually. The U.S.P.S., which had a $2.8 billion deficit in 2008, is reviewing other cuts, and Senator Charles Schumer is defending Staten Island's mail processing at the Manor Road Post Office, where all of the borough's mail gets its postmark. The U.S.P.S. is considering moving outgoing mail processing (and 300 employees) to Brooklyn or Queens; the P.O. would stay open, but the Staten Island Advance points out, "Letters addressed to Staten Island then would be brought back by truck for distribution here." Schumer' wrote to the Postmaster General, "It is unacceptable that the United States Post Office is even considering shutting down the outgoing mail facility at the Manor Road Post Office ... During this economic crisis, transferring these workers to Brooklyn or Queens would cost them time, transportation costs and could damage the quality of [mail] delivery for Staten Island." more ›