Protecting The ‘Unbanked’ By Banning Cashless Businesses In Philadelphia
“Mayor Jim Kenney signed it into law last week, making Philadelphia the first big city in the country to ban cash-free stores. It takes effect July 1. But anti-poverty advocates say cashless businesses weren’t a concern before Greenlee introduced his bill. Many support the bill, but they didn’t point out the problem to Greenlee, nor did they lobby for it. The veteran lawmaker thought it was discriminatory for businesses to turn away low-income residents who don’t have bank accounts, a population collectively referred to as the ‘unbanked.’”