(WWJ) – A state lawmaker is pushing to bring back cash payments at all high school sporting events.
Sen. Joe Bellino of Monroe County tells WWJ he got the idea a couple years ago when he tried to go to his local high school’s playoff football game, but just brought cash to the gate and was turned away because he didn’t purchase a digital ticket online.
Bellino said that “threw me for a loop.”
“I know that’s the rule at Joe Louis Arena and Comerica Park and the Lions games, but I never thought this would happen to high school where an old man like me would have to buy a ticket online and show my phone,” Bellino said. “So I thought, ‘why don’t people offer both situations?’”
And that’s what Senate Bill 99 is looking to do. The recently introduced legislation would amend the revised school code to require any public school that “charges a fee for admission to an interscholastic athletic activity event offered by the public school at its high school… to ensure that cash is an acceptable form of payment for the fee.”
Bellino says in some cases, not everyone has a smartphone or debit card to complete a digital purchase. And the process often complicates things for older relatives who just want to see their grandson, granddaughter, niece or nephew play, according to Bellino.
Online service charges are also a concern for many, Bellino said.
While many people think it would be a “no-brainer” to offer both options, Bellino says he’s already getting plenty of opposition, having received calls from athletic directors.
“They don’t like messing with the money, they’ve gotta go back to the safe a few times for every big football game, there’s the possibility of theft because everybody’s not the same when it comes to handling money and it’s a lot easier for them if you just show them your phone with your ticket on your phone,” Bellino said.
He noted he’s gotten a lot more support than opposition in the form of calls, texts and even people in public.
The Senate Education Committee will consider the bill, which is also sponsored by Sens. Daley, Victory, Webber, McMorrow, Bayer, Santana and Cherry.
Related
