State could trim its postage costs
Our state leaders and lawmakers have been very much in the news the past several weeks. It appears they are having a difficult time trying to balance the state’s budget. Instead of looking for practical ways to cut cost, they look for new ways to raise revenue, without a thought to the waste that is sitting before their very eyes. In the meantime the waste goes on.
I am a clerical worker for a local business, and on my job I have found thousands of dollars in state waste just in two areas. On Feb. 15, a letter was received by my employer regarding state unemployment premium rate changes. It stated the rate was to be changed from 30 cents to 75 cents, more that double the amount currently being paid.
The reason for the rate change is the unemployment fund balance is almost $2 million below the required balance, due to the high unemployment rate. Thanks to NAFTA, our federal government encouraged the corporations to move their manufacturing facilities to Mexico taking our jobs with them and leaving the burden of all the jobless people on the backs of the small employers.
A few days after receiving the rate change notice, another letter came. This time it stated it was correction to the letter of Feb. 15. The second letter read word for word as the first. Looking at the postage mark on the envelope, I noticed it cost the taxpayers 26 cents to send each letter, not to count the cost of envelope, paper and labor to prepare the letters and get them in the mail. Multiply that by the thousands of employers in the state and that adds up to a hefty sum.
The second letter was a total waste . My employer also withholds court-ordered child support from some employees’ pay. At the first of every month, the state sends five copies of a form letter each in separate envelopes at 26 cents. This averages $15.60 per each court order to collect child support per year, multiplied by the thousands of these sent across the state.
This letter is also a duplicate of one received at the time the court order is issued. The employer could copy this letter for 3 cents. The letter is for the purpose of returning with payment to ensure proper credit.
These are only two areas of waste that could save the state thousands of dollars. Why can’t the people we send to Capitol Hill take a look around before they start asking for more money and do what the average taxpayer has to do? They have to live within a budget, and make sure there is no waste.
The first cuts they want to make hurts the people who can least afford it. You don’t use money that is not yours and that is exactly what our lawmakers did in using the tobacco money and that now has our state in a financial bind.
Let’s also remember this is an election year. If you aren’t registered to vote, please register. You can make a difference. It’s who you send to Capitol Hill who decides the quality of life for all Tennesseans, which now is not very promising.
Linda Jones
276 Rolling Hills 3rd St.
McMinnville