Post office seeks higher mail prices, First-class postage seen rising 2 cents next year

　　Postal worker Gregory Hixson sorts parcels in Merrifield, Virginia. The U.S. Postal Service filed a request Friday seeking higher postal rates.

　　The Postal Service filed a request Friday seeking higher rates.

　　The agency wants a 2-cent increase in first-class mail, and similar increases for other types of mail, to take effect early next year. It would increase the rate for regular mail to 39 cents from 37 cents.

　　The agency said that it is seeking the increase, 5.4 percent across the board, only because of a requirement that it establish a $3.1 billion escrow fund.

　　The agency has sought congressional action to eliminate that requirement. If that happens, postal officials said, the rate increase request will be withdrawn.

　　Postage rates last went up in 2002.