Paper or plastic? Snohomish County may require businesses to take cash

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

EVERETT — All retailers in unincorporated Snohomish County could soon be required to accept cash, instead of relying solely on credit cards and contactless methods.

In the past six years, the number of Americans who make most of their purchases in cash has halved in the past five years, from 25% in 2017 to 13% in 2022, according to Gallup. As more Americans went cashless, more businesses followed suit. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the transition, as companies searched for ways to maintain distance and safety.

Snohomish County residents have raised concerns about kids, unsheltered people and others who don’t have a bank account.

“It all started out with a constituent email,” County Council member Nate Nehring said. “Somebody reached out saying that their daughter, who’s a minor, had gone to buy something … but they wouldn’t take cash.”

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/paper-or-plastic-snohomish-county-may-require-businesses-to-take-cash/

[Jeebo]

1. It says on our paper currency ...

... "This note is legal tender for ALL (my emphasis) debts, public and private." There is a restaurant here that stopped taking cash when COVID started. They still won't take cash. I told them I wish they would take cash for small purchases, because I don't like using plastic for purchases of less than ten dollars. The DMV here won't take cash for applications for personalized license plates. I showed the clerk what it says on the currency and she just repeated that she couldn't take cash for that. I also kind of resent credit cards (even though I use my Visa card all the time) because the credit card trail it leaves is a component of the Big Brother society. If I ever want to go on the lam, I'd like to be able to take a lot of cash with me and not have to leave a trail that's easy to follow. (Not that that's likely ever to happen, of course.) I think everybody should take cash.

-- Ron

[jimfields33]

2. I think COVID is a valid exemption

It is safer.