Don’t Leave Home Without Him: Marlon Bolton Persuades City to Accept American Express Cards, Says He Wants Rewards Points

by Kevin Deutsch July 22, 2024

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Don’t leave home without him.

Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton recently persuaded city officials to start accepting American Express cards for bills and fees, a first for the city’s government.

Amex cards can now be used to pay city utility bills, purchase building permits and business licenses, and cover parks and recreation fees, “adding another level of convenient payment options just for you,” the city said in posts on X and Facebook Friday.

Bolton pitched the payment option at a June 20 commission workshop, telling colleagues he’d like to accrue more points in Amex’s Membership Rewards Program.

“I swear by American Express, I have like six cards,” said Bolton. “I would love to be able to pay [city] bills with American Express, and other residents have asked in the past as well, ‘Why don’t we use American Express?’”

Bolton said he understood the company’s merchant fees were higher, “but as an American Express customer, I would pay the extra cost just to be able to use that card because of the amount of points that I can have.”

Amex reward points can be redeemed to buy products from a host of top companies, including Amazon and Best Buy, and to pay for travel.

Bolton called the points “valuable” and asked staffers whether the city had looked into accepting Amex cards and “passing on the cost to the consumer.”

A staffer said the city was not set up for Amex payments.

“I know, I’m asking, can we be set up in that fashion?” Bolton said.

Twenty-nine days later, the payment option was announced to residents.

Customers won’t have to pay any fees to use their Amex cards for Tamarac bills.

“The City covers the cost of the merchant fees,” Tamarac spokesperson Joanna Johnson said.

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Kevin Deutsch

Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning journalist and author of two nonfiction books. He covers general assignment news and Jewish community issues for Talk Media. He has also worked as a staff writer at The Miami Times, the Rio Grande SUN, the New York Daily News, Newsday, The Miami Herald, The Palm Beach Post, The Riverdale Press, and Bronx Justice News.