It's bad enough that libraries are in the financial situation they are today, but it only makes it worse when they wind up fighting their city government for money that's supposed to be theirs.
Such is the case in Detroit where the library learned that the City of Detroit is spending money out of the library's fund. The Detroit Public Library is a separate municipal tax corporation and the use of it by the City not only raises ethical questions, but several legal ones as well. Even worse, the library found out about this practice the same time Detroit Public Schools learned that the City has been dipping into their equally separate tax fund.
Since July 1 of last year, the City spent around $6.2 million in money that didn't belong to it. Library Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch said:
"It's horrible, and it's illegal. There's a piggy bank that our money is supposed to be in, and the city is basically going into our piggy bank to pay their bills."
The City's misuse of money garnered the attention of the State Legislature and an investigation may be launched.
More from Detroit Free Press.
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