In for a Penny?

I'm usually amused when I read about people paying fines or what have you with pennies as it is a mostly harmless way to protest...then the wheels start spinning. Does the old penny trick even inconvenience anyone who has any say in the fines or is it just some underling who has done nothing to deserve the penny counting task? and is it in fact raising the very costs of whatever the penny person is protesting? In a new twist on the old pay in pennies trick a man in Michigan went in to pay a $270 fine for having rubbish in his yard and the city refused to accept the pennies! The city treasurer conferred with the city attorney and was told they did not have to take the payment in pennies,at this point I'm wondering what happened to legal tender? According to the U.S. Mint cities are no longer obligated to accept pennies,the Michigan man is planning on taking it all the way to court and I can't say I blame him,I will try to keep track of this story and give an update on the outcome.