A spouter was shocked the city was charging an extra fee to pay taxes, etc. with a credit card. What you fail to realize is credit cards are not free. They may be "free" to the consumer and you may even get money back in some way, but the cost goes to the ones accepting the card as payment, whether it be a business or a public service. Depending on the card, a $1,000 charge to you may only net the one accepting the card $980. Businesses are forced to raise prices to cover the charges, but a public service can't so they pass the charge directly to you. Only banks profit from their use.