Postal Service: Cut 35,000 Jobs to Start

WASHINGTON— The Postal Service says it may close more than 250 mail processing facilities across the country in an effort to cut costs.

Officials say the closings could cost as many as 35,000 jobs.

Changes in delivery standards and the closings could save the agency as much as $3 billion, and officials are seeking changes from Congress that could help them cut expenses more.

The agency lost $8.5 billion last year and is facing an even larger deficit this year as it struggles with shrinking business because of the movement of first-class mail to the Internet and the struggling economy, which limited advertising mail.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe says the Postal Service is not going out of business, and that it's trying to get its finances in order.