New law in Springfield bans paying fines with too many coins

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Springfield City Council has approved an ordinance limiting payments in coins to $20 and no more than $5 in pennies.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports (http://bit.ly/2ekN3NK ) that the new law approved Tuesday is an effort to not pay debts with change, such as a recent resident who tried to pay a more than $100 tax bill with pennies. There are many videos online of disgruntled citizens paying fines and fees with coins.

Springfield city treasurer Misty Buscher requested the new law, saying that she's not against change but "it stops the sensation to make a point."

The new ordinance's wording is flexible though. Buscher says if a stack of change is the only way a resident can pay the city will accept it. She says she wants "to stop stuff that's unnecessary."

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com