SPRINGFIELD – State Senators Paul Faraci (D-Champaign) and Doris Turner (D-Springfield) released the following statement in response to the United States Postal Service’s recommendations to downsize facilities in Central Illinois and move mail service to larger cities:

“We can’t risk our mail being diverted to St. Louis and Chicago. Moving local mail to post offices far from Central Illinois will not only slow down service, but also create life threatening hardships for those who rely on reliable mail service for their medication needs. Under these recommendations, Springfield, Champaign and surrounding communities will be directly impacted.

“Additionally, jobs will be lost or displaced, hurting our local economy, uprooting families and the increased wait times for mail will negatively impact our small businesses.

“If the Postmaster General wants to make sweeping changes that hurt our community in the name of ‘efficiency,’ we hope to see the evidence to back up the claims.”