Having proclaimed to various congressional staff over the years that nonprofit mail is no longer subsidized by Congress, I was confused by Cary H. Baer's column (“Product Redesign: Time for Change,” Aug. 27).
In the last paragraph, he says some of the House FY 2002 funding “…was appropriated for 'revenue forgone,' primarily to support nonprofit postage rates. Have no fear, help is on the way.”
Well, yes and no. Congress will appropriate $29 million every year through 2034 to pay off nonprofit postal subsidies that ended in 1998. So, yes, money will flow, but to retire old debt. Nonprofit magazines and direct mail fundraising will receive no new help from the Postal Service Appropriations Act in 2002.
With another rate case about to be filed, I'm bracing for our nonprofit magazine's costs to increase $250,000 and expect our fundraising costs will go up, too.
Phil Claiborne, Circulation director, (The) Elks Magazine, Chicago
