Postage for care packages could be cut

PALM HARBOR - The founder of an organization that sends care packages to troops overseas says the cost of U.S. postage could force the operation out of business.

Bob Williams says he mails 250 boxes a week full of supplies, and by the end of the year, it'll cost him up to $200,000 in postage fees.

"Every month you get a whole stack of stuff that you get from your Congressman or Senator and it's all free. It doesn't cost them a dime -- you and I pay for it. Yet I've got to pay the postage to send stuff to our men and women that are fighting for our freedom," Williams says.

So Williams took the issue to U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis. He asked him to propose a bill eliminating postage on care packages.

Bilirakis did, and says the bill has a good chance of becoming law.

"We need to give these volunteers a break. First of all, because of economic times, but there should be free postage to send these packages over. And that's what we are going to do," says Bilirakis.
If the bill does pass, Williams says he knows what he'll do with the extra cash.

"I should not have to spend the vast majority of my money on postage when I should be sending it over and buying them DVDs, refrigerators, coffee pots and things like that," Williams said.