33,000-penny property tax payment refused

CLE ELUM, Wash. — A businessman who tried to pay a property tax bill with 33,000 pennies got turned down by a county treasurer in Washington state, who said she didn't have the staff to count them.

Ron Spears told the Ellensburg Daily Record he rolled buckets of the coins into the Kittitas County treasurer's office Tuesday to protest the fines he incurred by failing to pay a $34 bill that was due in April.

Spears owns Spears Interiors in Cle Elum and also serves on the city council. He says his business is struggling and he didn't have the money at the time.

When Treasurer Deanna Panattoni refused to accept the pennies, Spears agreed to pay in a more conventional manner.

I would hate to have to count all them damn pennies!

LOL...I don't see how they could turn it down. It's legal tender. He should've told them to shove it up their asses.

I would have caused a scene. If they don't want the legal tender of pennies they can....well you know.

Businesses do not have to accept payment in denominations lower than .05 that equal more than one full dollar. but wow, 33,000 pennies. I cant even imagine how much $330 in pennies would weigh. TO THE GOOGLE CAVE!!

According to google. Post 33,000 post 1983 pennies (when they started making them of zinc) would weight 182.3 pounds. They probably didnt have enough employees to carry them all.

nobody accepts pennies and if you try to pay for a pizza with nothing but rolled up pennies you get the dirtiest looks! WTF its money ain't it?!