A modest increase

I don't get much mail, and I like every letter that comes my way, especially the ones with the juicy tidbits for me to chase, investigate and write about. So keep 'em coming.

And then there are the letters like the one today from the Northwest Herald. I had sort of hoped they were writing to invite me to participate in the upcoming elections voter guides, as did the Chicago Tribune and The Woodstock Independent.

Or maybe writing to explain why the Monday paper has gotten so skinny. Or why the Jewel-Osco ads are no longer delivered to me.

But, no. It was just a letter to let me know that my privilege of a paper delivered to me every day is going to cost me more. The reasons were there - rising costs of printing and distribution. I hope the paperboy gets a share; somehow, I'm afraid he may not. Anyway, paperboys are a thing of the past. Paper-man must be today's word.

But, back to the reason for the letter. The monthly rate on the EZ Pay auto-debit plan is going up. I was delighted to read that there will be only a "very modest" rate increase.

Very modest? The monthly rate of $11.27 will increase to $13.39. That's modest? It's an 18.8% increase!

They must use a different dictionary than I do!

It's probably still a good deal, because I do get the paper on time, at my door, almost never late or missing. And the women in the customer service department are friendly and do answer the phones quickly, if I call for a missing paper or vacation hold. And I pretty much break even by clipping the coupons that come with the Sunday edition.

But I'd rather they hadn't termed an 18.8% increase as "very modest". Egads! What would a small or moderate increase have been???