SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) released the below statement in response to the U.S. Postmaster General’s decision to move the Springfield Post Office’s distribution to St. Louis:

“The decision to convert the Springfield Post Office into a local processing center is extremely disappointing and will have lasting effects on residents across Central Illinois. There is no reason for our mail to be diverted out of state, but sadly this is our new reality.

“I joined hundreds of residents, postal workers and local elected officials at a town hall on March 26 to share our grave concerns about the proposal. USPS did not listen to our community. This will not only slow down mail delivery time, but also create life threatening hardships for those who rely on the mail service for their medication needs, especially our seniors.

“Springfield is home to Illinois’ state government. Why are we delaying delivery of important documents by sending them to Missouri? This is a poor decision that will affect each and every one of us.”