FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 13, 2011 CONTACT: NICK WILOCK, 518-878-6568 FOLLOW ASSEMBLYMAN MCLAUGHLIN ON FACEBOOK

McLAUGHLIN RESPONDS TO USPS ANNOUNCMENT

Legislative Statement by Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin (R,C-Melrose) Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin today responded to the United States Postal Service announcement that local post office closures would be postponed. I am relieved to see that the postal service is postponing the closure of post offices in the Capital Region, said McLaughlin. The arguments being used to close post offices in the Capital Region just did not pass muster. Obviously the postal service needs to modernize, but the formula crafted in Washington D.C. was a one-size-fits-all solution. The system established by Washington to select post offices for closure failed to take into account a number of factors, including New York's older population, winter road closures and regional geography. It ignored how reliant the community may be on post office boxes. Many of the closures under consideration would hurt businesses that rely on them to ship products. I hope the postal service will use this time to reconsider the disproportionate hardship these closures would mean for New York. McLaughlin has been among the most vocal advocates for rural post offices, working with USPS officials and speaking at local meetings. I will continue to fight to keep these post offices open, said McLaughlin, whose parents both worked for the postal service. Assemblyman McLaughlin represents the 108th district, which consists of parts of Rensselaer, Albany, Greene, and Columbia counties. For more information, please visit Assemblyman McLaughlins official website. ###