EVERETT — Starting in 2025, businesses in unincorporated Snohomish County will be required to accept cash.
After more than a month of deliberations, the Snohomish County Council approved the ordinance unanimously Wednesday.
Council member Nate Nehring, who proposed the change, said the measure will protect people who are more likely to use cash — children, senior citizens, homeless people and residents who don’t trust banking institutions.
Residents who spoke at public comment Wednesday praised the ordinance for being bipartisan and reducing economic barriers for more vulnerable people.
“Requiring businesses to accept cash does the greater amount of good for creating liberty,” said John Peeples, who works in Everett.
Before the ordinance takes effect, council member Megan Dunn said the county should begin reaching out to businesses and customers to make them aware of the new change. Dunn wants to listen to their feedback.
“If there’s an undue burden on small service providers, we can make changes if needed,” she said at the meeting.
Council member Strom Peterson said the ordinance will spark conversations about how to engage with people who are “left out of the economy.”
Over the past weeks, council members met with the Washington Hospitality Association and local chambers of commerce to address the concerns of businesses. The ordinance only applies to unincorporated Snohomish County.
Exemptions are available if businesses:
• Operate out of a residence;
• Only have one employee on the premises;
• Are over 15 miles away from a bank;
• Or can document being frequent victims of theft.
A business can also be exempt from the ordinance in the case of a pandemic-related emergency.
Businesses continuing to refuse cash after 2025 will face fines. After two warnings, the fine for the first violation is $250. Multiple repeat violations would bring a $700 fine.
The ordinance doesn’t say if the fine needs to be paid in cash.
Jenelle Baumbach: 360-352-8623; jenelle.baumbach@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jenelleclar.
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