Westfield is rebelling against the U.S. Postal Service.

The city has decided to draft an ordinance that draws attention to the fact that Westfield residents have a variety of ZIP codes which has cost the city some tax money.

Westfield has petitioned the U.S. Postal Service to ensure all Westfield residents with Carmel ZIP codes are switched over to the Westfield ZIP code, 46074. The postal service has denied Westfield’s requests twice in two years, so the city came up with the idea of an ordinance.

“I’m fed up with trying to deal with the federal system,” Cook told the City Council last week. “I don’t know where (the ordinance) will go, but right now we’re going nowhere.”

Officials argue some kind of action is necessary because more than 5,000 Westfield parcels have ZIP codes for other communities, including more than 3,000 in Carmel.

Late in October, Westfield learned it will get an additional $240,000 in food and beverage tax money that was incorrectly given to other communities because of the ZIP code issue. Even with that refund, the city thinks it will be missing $15,000, which could come later.

Westfield is trying to determine what to say in its ordinance.

The ordinance might require residents and businesses to write “Westfield” in the “city” space on mail and forms, regardless of their ZIP code, or it could say that all residents in Westfield’s boundaries should have the 46074 ZIP code, said City Council President Ken Kingshill, who’s serving on a committee to write the ordinance.

But enforcing such an ordinance could be a problem, Kingshill said.

“We’re not going to make an example out of anyone,” he said.

Kingshill isn’t certain the city would have authority to enforce the ordinance.

Westfield, like all communities, has some authority over street names and street numbering, but not ZIP codes, he said.

Kingshill hopes the state’s home rule law, which gives local governments authority over local issues, also could apply.

Even if it’s unenforceable, city officials hope the ordinance accomplishes their primary goal: to draw attention to Westfield’s ZIP code issue.

“We’re going for impact,” Kingshill said, “for a big bang, so to speak, just to get some attention because we’re not getting attention through the normal channels.”

Follow Star reporter Carrie Ritchie on Twitter at CarrieRitchie. Call her at (317) 444-5506.