WASHINGTON: Already mocked by some as “snail mail,” first-class U.S. mail will slow even more by next spring under plans by the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service to eliminate more than 250 processing centers. Nearly 30,000 workers would be laid off, too, as the post office responds to a shift to online communication and bill payments.The cuts are part of $3 billion in reductions aimed at helping the agency avoid bankruptcy next year. They would virtually eliminate the chance for stamped letters to arrive the next day, a change in first-class delivery standards that have been in place since 1971.The plan technically must await an advisory opinion from the independent Postal Regulatory Commission, slated for next March.Ohio is home to 10 of the mail- processing centers — including ones in Akron and Canton — that would shut down under the plan. A union leader said processing offices in Cleveland and Columbus would be the only ones left in the state.The Akron mail-processing operation — part of the agency’s Wolf Ledges complex — employs about 400 full-time workers.The Canton center employs more than 200 full-time workers.David Van Allen, Postal Service spokesman in Cleveland, said Monday’s announcement does not specify the closing of the Akron processing center, but does further the overall cost-saving initiative that might close 252 centers nationwide, including Akron.Saving Akron centerDespite Monday’s announcement, city officials still hope they can spare the Akron center.Mayor Don Plusquellic, Deputy Mayor of Economic Development Bob Bowman and Akron Councilman Jeff Fusco will meet with postal service representatives at 11:30 a.m. todayto propose alternatives to shutting down Akron’s center.“I believe we’ve got to continue to push forward and see what it is we can develop that’s in the best interest of Akron,” Fusco said.Fusco declined to detail what they will propose.Akron City Council recently passed resolutions opposing the potential closing of the Akron processing center and supporting federal legislation that would provide an alternative money-saving measure for the postal service.Akron has been hit hard by the struggling postal service’s budget cuts, with four post office branches in the city closed in the past year.At a news briefing in Washington, postal Vice President David Williams said the post office needs to move quickly to cut costs as it seeks to stem five years of red ink amid steadily declining mail volume. After hitting 98 billion in 2006, first-class mail volume is now at less than 78 billion and is projected to drop by roughly half by 2020.The agency already has announced a 1-cent increase in first-class mail to 45 cents beginning Jan. 22.Record lossesWilliams said in certain narrow situations, first-class mail might still be delivered the next day — if, for example, newspapers, magazines or other bulk mailers are able to meet new, tighter deadlines and drop off shipments directly at the processing centers that remain open.The Postal Service faces default this month on a $5.5 billion annual payment to the Treasury for retiree health benefits and expects to have a record loss of $14.1 billion next year.Currently, first-class mail is supposed to be delivered to homes and businesses within the continental United States in one to three days. That would lengthen to two to three days. Periodicals could take two to nine days.About 42 percent of first-class mail is delivered the following day. An additional 27 percent arrives in two days; about 31 percent, in three days; and less than 1 percent, in four to five days. After the change next spring, about 51 percent of all first-class mail is expected to arrive in two days.The Postal Service, an independent agency of government, does not receive tax money, but is subject to congressional control on major aspects of its operations. The changes in first-class mail delivery could take place without permission from Congress.U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Cleveland, a member of the House committee that oversees the agency, said he would fight the changes.“This privatization plan is bad for Americans, bad for businesses, bad for the economy and bad for workers. We can do better than to dismantle the Postal Service and privatize its operations,” he said.