Bill Williams is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media for the second time in less than a year, the cost of a first-class Mail Forever stamp has increased. The U.S. Postal Service raised the cost from 58 to 60 cents as of July 10. First-class postage previously increased in August 2021, when the price went from 55 to 58 cents. When the increase was proposed in April, postal officials said first-class mail prices would rise roughly 6.5 percent, a rate lower than the Bureau of Labor Statistics annual inflation rate of 7.9 percent as of the end of February. The mailing services price changes include first-class letters increasing from 58 cents to 60 cents, domestic postcards from 40 cents to 44 cents, and international letters increasing from $1.30 to $1.40. The Postal Service will also implement price adjustments for special services including certified mail, post office box rental fees, money order fees and the cost to purchase insurance when mailing an item, officials said. The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to fund its operations. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.