03/18/10

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ The Idaho state treasurer would have to
accept a state-made silver medallion or bar for the payment of fees
and taxes, if a bill that's cleared the House becomes law.

It now heads to the Senate.

Conservative northern Idaho lawmakers including Rep. Phil Hart,
the Republican sponsor, hope to accomplish twofold: revive their
region's mining economy's glory days as well as get a foot in the
door toward replacing standard American currency with precious
metals, or so-called ``constitutional money.''

That appeals to those leery of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

With Thursday's 51-14 vote, Hart's bill has made it further than
one he backed a year ago that stalled in the House Revenue and
Taxation Committee.

Idaho isn't alone: Georgia lawmakers considered allowing
citizens to pay taxes with gold and silver last year.


(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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