What's the moral of the story when you find money in Dallas TX?

[A930Rocket]

A 15 year old living in a one-room apartment with her parents and four siblings finds $2000 in cash, turns it into the bank, which turns it over to the police and the city wants to KEEP it.

I hope they give it to her.

City Pressured to Bend Policy to Reward Texas Teen Who Turned in $2,000 Found on Street - FoxNews.com

City Pressured to Bend Policy to Reward Texas Teen Who Turned in $2,000 Found on Street

Published May 12, 2011

Ashley Lazaro Donaldson
When 15-year-old Ashley Donaldson found $2,000 on a Dallas street and turned it over to authorities, she thought she’d be rewarded for her honesty. But a new city policy has prevented her from pocketing the unclaimed cash, prompting an outcry from the community.

In fact, rather than reward the girl, the city policy calls for the money to be treated like contraband -- and added to the municipal coffers.

But under pressure from the public, Dallas police appear to be having a change of heart, saying the girl will likely be given the money she found if the owner doesn’t step forward.

“Assuming the rightful owner doesn’t come forward, I think there’s a very good chance she will be awarded the money,” Lt. Chess Williams, spokesman with the Dallas Police Department, told FoxNews.com.

Donaldson found the money Feb. 19 in a Dallas parking lot not far from a Chase Bank. The teen quickly turned the wad of cash over to the bank which then gave the money to the Dallas Police Department after it could not identify the owner.

Donaldson said she initially was told she could keep the money if the owner was not found within a month, according to local press reports. But then police informed her three months later that under a new policy, the money had to go to the city instead.

“That may have been told to her but under existing policy, that would have been an error,” Williams explained. He said the policy was changed in 2009 so that unclaimed money would go directly to the city’s general fund if the owner was not found.

Williams said money claimed by the city is not taken for a “sinister purpose,” but rather deposited into the city’s general fund and used for the good of the community – like buying new fire hoses or books for the library.

“I think that point is lost in some of these discussions,” he said.

Donaldson, a freshman at Shepton High School, was living in a one-room apartment with her parents and four siblings when she found the money. The family moved into a home in Plano two weeks ago but reportedly still faces financial difficulties.

After controversy erupted over the city’s policy, an anonymous donor came forward Wednesday to assist Donaldson and her family, rewarding the girl a $4,000 check, WFAA.com reports.

"I was completely shocked," Donaldson told the station. "I couldn't breathe. ... I was just so happy and just so amazed at how they could do that for me."

“It just really made me think of how many people would've done the opposite thing, and it made me feel even more proud of myself," she said.

Williams said Thursday the department realized the situation was “unfair” and is moving “very quickly to rectify it.”

“The process is in place now for us to process the money and make a few more efforts to try to locate the owner. If the owner doesn’t come forward, I think she will get the money,” he said. “All of us greatly admire the youngster involved. She found money that she could have easily taken without anyone knowing, and I think there’s a great lesson there for all of us.”

[pwd72s]

The typical liberal viewpoint is that the Government really owns all weath, to be distributed as it sees fit. So, not surprising...the first "official" position.

[Hugh R]

Note to self, if I find money, don't do the right thing.

[M.D. Holloway]

Tough call. A part of me would never have turned it in to the bank provided there was no ID to show ownership. Another part of me would turn it in and forget about it. Money that is found is not earned is bad MoJo. Gifts are another story. This was not a gift. If you were not directly given it or earned it then leave it.

Imagine if that was part of human nature? Sadly, too many hands are out stretched without any calluses' to show...

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Note to self, if I find money, don't do the right thing.

I don't consider giving it to the gov't. to be the right thing. That they get to keep it means I'd just keep quiet. Why would they have any more right to it than I would?

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

The typical liberal viewpoint is that the Government really owns all weath, to be distributed as it sees fit. So, not surprising...the first "official" position.

you're not in PARF Paulie

[pwd72s]

He without sin casts a stone...

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

The typical liberal viewpoint is that the Government really owns all weath, to be distributed as it sees fit. So, not surprising...the first "official" position.

[lane912]

When driving a cab you tend to find "things" in and under the back seat. The sup. tells you to try to remember who might have left "it" and holds the items for a amount of time. then one day, if he still likes ya, he toss it to ya if it is unclaimed.
that was fair-

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

The typical liberal viewpoint is that the Government really owns all weath, to be distributed as it sees fit. So, not surprising...the first "official" position.

Oh those madcap Texas Liberals...

[Geary]

Which politician (of your favorite persuasion) has revealed to you the true picture of government wealth? Do a search for your state or county's CAFR, and you may begin to see the bigger picture (but keep in mind that even these have been very doctored since 1999).

http://dallascityhall.com/financial_services/pdf/CAFR_FY2007.pdf