Changing the channel in this space from education funding and legislative inaction to S.175, a bill proposed by Washington County Senator Andrew Perchlik. This bill, last considered on March 14 by the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs, prohibits retail businesses from refusing to accept cash for payment up to $1,000.
This makes sense. Not everyone has a bank account or debit card or credit card. There are plenty of people for whom cash and pay-as-you-go is their only option and they shouldn’t be penalized for the circumstances that got them there.
A cashless society seemed like a great idea during the pandemic and some businesses found it more convenient with no bank deposits to worry about, no need to lock up cash in a safe. Many merchants have minimums that people must meet to use their debit or credit card and those minimum spending requirements can force people who want a $2 cup of coffee to spend more than they can afford.
Cash vs card can be a social justice and equity issue, but there’s also privacy to consider as we all try to adjust to our every move and click and online action being monetized and commodified.
Go into a store, buy some beer or cigarettes and lottery tickets with cash and that transaction is never recorded anywhere. Go in and buy some beer or cigarettes with a card and there’s an electronic record that never goes away. Or just buy groceries with cash and/or a card and know that your purchases are private with cash and not so much with a card.
Now consider Vermont’s legal cannabis dispensaries. People must show their driver’s license to enter a legal dispensary where they can use cash or a debit card. No privacy there regardless of the payment method. That is to prevent people from purchasing over two ounces of cannabis a week.
Yet people can buy all the groceries, beer, wine, alcohol, cigarettes, etc. that they want without some sort of electronic minder tallying up their purchases.
This bill makes sense. It protects people who don’t have bank accounts and it protects everyone’s privacy.
