I'm wondering if I can pay in change. $25 dollars worth. No where on the city's website or on the ticket itself does it denote acceptable payment methods. Change can be used for all debts, public and private, right?
Yes this is a vendetta. You inconvenience me with a ticket, I inconvenience the city with loose change.
pennies.. lots of unrolled pennies.. maybe slip in a few Canadian coins just to mess with them.
Appleseed wrote: I'm wondering if I can pay in change. $25 dollars worth. No where on the city's website or on the ticket itself does it denote acceptable payment methods. Change can be used for all debts, public and private, right? Yes this is a vendetta. You inconvenience me with a ticket, I inconvenience the city with loose change.
It is ILLEGAL for them to turn away ANY sort of legal tender, EVEN if that happens to be in the form of 2500 pennies, unrolled.
Assuming this is an issue caused by insufficient parking, or a lack of signage, then the ticket revenue represents an incentive for failure for the city. I hate that.
fyi.... postage stamps are considered legal currency as well. I'm thinking 2500 single 1 cent stamps.
I once paid for a movie ticket with the last dollar being in change. They tried to tell me that they didn't accept anything smaller than a quarter. I asked if everything at the concessions ended up at a quarter after tax to which they said "ugh" and took my money.
I say go for it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzc8vS-ac-g
Definitely related. 
Go for it. I just paid $250 in outstanding parking tickets, thanks to a neighbour who has nothing better to do than call the parking guys (most of the 100-year old houses on the street have no driveways). Even when I think I've paid them all, there are always a few outstanding. Ridiculous cash-grab.
They can refuse payment in coins - this has been challenged in court and upheld. They may accept them, but are not legally required to do so.
Did you park illegally?
I'm no sure about a government agency, but normal businesses can refuse to accept loose change, $100's, etc.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/penny-offense-man-fined-paying-fee-pennies-210854889.html
Frank wrote: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/penny-offense-man-fined-paying-fee-pennies-210854889.html
That was disorderly conduct, and assuming the writer's description of the events was accurate, he had it coming.
The point remains... IF you want to pay in nothing but coins, that is 100% legal by federal law, and it is 100% illegal to refuse the payment.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The point remains... IF you want to pay in nothing but coins, that is 100% legal by federal law, and it is 100% illegal to refuse the payment.
that may or may not be... but when they refuse the coinage payment ... and they will .... and then start adding interest ( 'cause you've obviously waited to the last day to make it even more asswholly ) are you going to have your high priced incredible competent lawyer at your side with a court order requiring them to accept the coinage ?
wbjones wrote:92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The point remains... IF you want to pay in nothing but coins, that is 100% legal by federal law, and it is 100% illegal to refuse the payment.that may or may not be... but when they refuse the coinage payment ... and they will .... and then start adding interest ( 'cause you've obviously waited to the last day to make it even more asswholly ) are you going to have your high priced incredible competent lawyer at your side with a court order requiring them to accept the coinage ?
A cop will do fine. As long as he knows the law as well.
And personally if i were doing this (and i wouldn't... i simply don't care that much), i'd go ahead and pay very promptly. 
Are you sure it's illegal to not take the pennies, because I can think of many other instances where business make their own payment policies, whether it's refusing all cash payments (try paying cash for a beer on an airline), refusing $100 bills (many gas stations won't accept $50s or $100s), or try putting a $5 bill into a parking meter that only takes nickels, dimes and quarters.
From here: http://legallad.quickanddirtytips.com/legal-tender.aspx
"Businesses Must Accept “Dollars,” but Not Cash. This means that US notes and coins are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. However, although businesses must accept dollars, that doesn’t mean they literally have to take your big wad of bills which is bulky, difficult to make change for, and, frankly, a breeding ground for germs. A vendor can usually put reasonable conditions on the manner in which they will accept dollars, and one of those conditions can be that they’ll only accept dollars electronically, via credit card. Or, as the US Treasury explains on their website, “Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise.”
Or this article from the Christian Science Monitor (which references the disorderly conduct case above). http://www.minnpost.com/businessagenda/2011/06/09/28924/a_pile_of_pennies_does_a_business_have_to_accept_coins
"Here's what the law says: The Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues. Foreign gold or silver coins are not legal tender for debts." All this means is that the Federal Reserve system must honor all U.S. currency. As the U.S. Treasury points out, there's nothing in the law that says that private businesses have to accept it for all transactions."
Schmidlap wrote: Are you sure it's illegal to not take the pennies, because I can think of many other instances where business make their own payment policies, whether it's refusing all cash payments (try paying cash for a beer on an airline), refusing $100 bills (many gas stations won't accept $50s or $100s), or try putting a $5 bill into a parking meter that only takes nickels, dimes and quarters. From here: http://legallad.quickanddirtytips.com/legal-tender.aspx "Businesses Must Accept “Dollars,” but Not Cash. This means that US notes and coins are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. However, although businesses must accept dollars, that doesn’t mean they literally have to take your big wad of bills which is bulky, difficult to make change for, and, frankly, a breeding ground for germs. A vendor can usually put reasonable conditions on the manner in which they will accept dollars, and one of those conditions can be that they’ll only accept dollars electronically, via credit card. Or, as the US Treasury explains on their website, “Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise.” Or this article from the Christian Science Monitor (which references the disorderly conduct case above). http://www.minnpost.com/businessagenda/2011/06/09/28924/a_pile_of_pennies_does_a_business_have_to_accept_coins "Here's what the law says: The Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues. Foreign gold or silver coins are not legal tender for debts." All this means is that the Federal Reserve system must honor all U.S. currency. As the U.S. Treasury points out, there's nothing in the law that says that private businesses have to accept it for all transactions."
"Debt" is the key word there.
Also, in OP's case, parking ticket would be a public charge, as well. 
regardless of all the above, I'm betting you'll find yourself in lots more trouble if you try to pay with pennies ... you might win way on down the line ... but I really can't see how that'll be profitable to you .. lots of lost time and money fighting this in court .... 'course maybe it's worth it to you 
found this ( may give some insight) :
http://www.expertlaw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90739
Appleseed wrote: I'm wondering if I can pay in change. $25 dollars worth. No where on the city's website or on the ticket itself does it denote acceptable payment methods. Change can be used for all debts, public and private, right? Yes this is a vendetta. You inconvenience me with a ticket, I inconvenience the city with loose change.
Dude. I paid a $5000+ college tuition bill in used fives and singles. In person, at 4:45 on the Friday deadline. And insisted on a receipt. Goddam pompous asses at the Bursar's office had fun with that .
Duke wrote:Appleseed wrote: I'm wondering if I can pay in change. $25 dollars worth. No where on the city's website or on the ticket itself does it denote acceptable payment methods. Change can be used for all debts, public and private, right? Yes this is a vendetta. You inconvenience me with a ticket, I inconvenience the city with loose change.Dude. I paid a $5000+ college tuition bill in used fives and singles. In person, at 4:45 on the Friday deadline. And insisted on a receipt. Goddam pompous asses at the Bursar's office had fun with *that* .
ok I want to hear more for of this backstory... :)
When I gas up at Sam's Club, the pumps say "Sorry, we do not accept cash." What's up wit dat?
bludroptop wrote: Did you park illegally?
I did. Which is why I'm not contesting it. Its just inconvenient. I'm passing it on.
You get ticketed after 2:00 am. The ticket was made out at 2:07. Again, still within the law, but lame.
I have until the 14 of February. I'm going on Monday. And I was thinking quarters. It says, " I'm doing this because I'm being a dick, but not so small of a denomination as for you to refuse me."
I'm not really familiar with the law but I had a few speeding tickets 8+ years ago and I decided not to pay the fines. I elected to perform community service instead. It was an interesting experience picking up litter, trimming trees and cutting weeds along the highway with felons and a couple of junkies.
Maybe community service is an option?
That would make their heads spin. Ha. I wonder how much community service you'd need to do to pay off $25? 
Appleseed wrote: You get ticketed after 2:00 am. The ticket was made out at 2:07. Again, still within the law, but lame.
"But that's not a PRESIDENTIAL release of prisoner form.Those are blue..."
It calculated out to $12.50 per hour back in '03 or '04 when I did it. It might be higher these days.
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