At the July 30 regular Hernando County BOCC meeting, commissioners voted 3-2 to deny an ordinance that would require area businesses to accept cash as a form of payment. Chairman Beth Narverud with Commissioners Jerry Campbell and John Allocco opposed the ordinance.
The opposing commissioners said they would support a resolution, but the enforcement of an ordinance complicates complying with Federal law, and in Commissioner Jerry Campbell’s words, “picks winners and losers,” should businesses gain or lose customers according to their payment policies.
Commissioner Steve Champion, who originally brought the matter before the board, doesn’t want to impose stiff penalties for businesses that do not accept cash, but considers the practice ‘un-American,” and a hindrance to those who only have access to, or prefer to use cash.
Commissioner John Allocco proposed a resolution instead that will encourage Hernando County businesses to accept cash as payment. Allocco proposed in part, “Hernando County is a cash County and that we encourage all businesses that function inside of Hernando County to accept cash … and that all businesses that are not accepting cash should not be charging service fees.”
Commissioners approved the proposed language unanimously, with the official resolution to come to a vote at a future meeting.
According to County Attorney Jon Jouben, charging extra fees for credit and debit purchases cannot be prohibited by the County because the practice is allowed by Federal law. Before the vote, Jouben suggested a resolution rather than an Ordinance in order to encourage businesses to accept cash in addition to credit and debit cards.
Jouben explained, “Any time you involve credit cards, it’s considered a wire transaction, so if the wire transaction leaves the state, then it becomes interstate commerce … which (the County) doesn’t have the ability to regulate.”
Although convenience fees may stay in place for credit card customers, Hernando County businesses are encouraged to accept cash for goods and services rendered.
