Post Office Rejects Zip Code Request Again

In January of this year, Central repeated a request that the city of Central be unified with one zip code rather than the five it currently has.  The problem with so many zip codes is that, because Central shares all but one of these codes with other cities, Central’s tax revenue can sometimes be handed over to neighboring cities through simple error.  This is especially an issue when it comes to taxes on items purchased online or from catalogues and mailed to residents.  Central also originally wanted one zip code for the city by the time the Census came around in an extra effort to have every Central citizen counted as a member of the city of Central.  This original request was denied by the U.S. Post Office, saying that community identity was not a reason for the post office to allow changes in zip codes. 

Because community identity was not the city’s motivating factor in requesting a zip code change, Central officials appealed the decision in another request for the change.  The response has been received, and the answer remains the same.  The U.S. Post Office has sent a final answer rejecting the zip code change appeal.  The reason given was that, while the Post Office attempts to match municipal and zip code boundaries as often as possible, sometimes, “rapidly expanding communities, facility space, and operational efficiency do not allow for zip code boundaries to reflect those of municipalities.”

The Post Office did, however, make one accommodation.  Central citizens, as has been stated before, can use “Central, LA” as their home or business delivery address.  This is instead of the original “City of Central” that we were supposed to use for our mail.  It was stated that this concession is the only one that the Post Office can make, as they feel that the original decision was reasonable, and further changes would not be cost effective for the U.S. Post Office.