Montgomery County To Test Use Of Self-Service Payment Kiosks
By Brad Segall
NORRISTOWN, PA. (CBS) -- Montgomery County is looking into whether self service payment kiosks will help collect more county fees, court costs, fines and other financial obligations that people owe.
County officials hope to kick off a pilot program in the next couple of months. The plan is to put a kiosk inside an office in the courthouse in Norristown, and if that works out more kiosks would be located at various spots around the county. The machines would take credit cards, debit cards and cash. County Chief Financial Officer Uri Monson says they've been successful in other parts of the country.
"Colorado, in particular, has seen their collection rates go up significantly 10 to 15 percent above their current levels," Monson says. "I think just making it more convenient for people should help with collection rates."
The program would come at no cost to the county. The convenience fee for using the machine would be passed on to the consumer. Monson says they'll be looking for a system where that fee is somewhat relative to the size of the payment.
"You don't want somebody paying a three dollar convenience for a six dollar charge," he says, "or a six dollar permit."
