LOS ANGELES : Plan Would Let Public Buy Services With Credit Cards
The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday laid the groundwork for the public to use credit and ATM cards to pay for various city services.
By a unanimous vote, council members gave the city treasurer authority to negotiate a contract with Imperial Bank to provide equipment and services needed for city employees to accept plastic money from the public.
Chief Deputy Treasurer Gerald Capodieci said his office will explore where to implement a credit and ATM card-based system. Some prime locations include the Los Angeles Zoo, convention center, municipal parking lots and garages, animal shelters and golf courses, he said.
Capodieci said the day may come when city taxes and a myriad of city fees might be payable using the cards.
The council also authorized the treasurer to retain Telecheck Services to verify checks it receives from the consumers of city services. The city gets about 18,000 bad checks a year worth about $5.4 million.
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