This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

As Congress considers how to reform the business model of the Postal Service, it must confront a basic choice: to permit the Postal Service to function more as a business does, or to constrain it from doing so.

For an organization that generates all of its revenue from the sale of its postage, products and services, having the flexibility to quickly adapt and react to the marketplace is vital. To return to profitability we must move at an even faster pace.

That requires changes in the law. We need Congress to enact comprehensive legislation as soon as possible.

This organization performs a vital national function. The Postal Service facilitates trillions annually in commerce and it directly supports a $900 billion mailing industry that employs 8 million Americans.

If it is to endure as a great American institution, provide the nation with a secure, reliable and affordable delivery platform and serve as an engine of commerce, it needs speed and flexibility to compete in an evolving marketplace.

Ken S. McArthur Salt Lake district manager U.S. Postal Service

Salt Lake City