Remember back in March when Utah passed the Legal Tender Act of 2011, recognizing gold and silver as legal tender in the state of Utah?
Turns out that was just for sh*ts and gigs.
A Utah man who wants to pay his taxes with silver coins has been rebuffed by state and county officials who claim it's impractical to accept the precious metals despite a state law making them legal tender.
Earlier this year, Utah became the first state in the country to legalize gold and silver coins as currency. But because the law doesn't require businesses to accept the metals, most government agencies and private merchants have not embraced the alternative method.
Orem resident Carlton Bowen told The Salt Lake Tribune he learned that the hard way when Utah County wouldn't let him cover his property tax with silver. The state has also told him they will not accept silver.
Some businesses have accepted silver from Bowen, he said, and he has made charitable donations with the coins, but he wants the state to follow its own law.
"When is Utah going to accept its own legal tender?" Bowen said.
Doing so would be impractical, Utah State Treasurer Richard Ellis said, adding that it could potentially violate another state law that prohibits agencies from holding gold as an asset because of the volatility of the commodity.
