Finders Keepers Now Means Your Government Gets The Money

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Dallas Dallas Dallas... always hanging your head in shame.

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http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-decides-to-keep-cash-found-by-honest-teen-121609364.html

DALLAS — Dallas will keep $2,000 found by a teenager in a parking lot last February.

The money will go into the city's general fund — not back to Plano high school student Ashley Donaldson, who found the cash in an envelope at the Pavillion Shopping Center in North Dallas.

"I don't regret making the decision I did," she said. "I feel proud of myself for giving the money back. It's one of the biggest decisions of my life."

The 15-year-old Shepton High School student spotted the money on the ground and took it to a nearby Chase Bank.

Over the last three months, the bank and Dallas police have tried to find the owner, but have had no luck.

On Tuesday, police said under a new city policy, the unclaimed money will go into Dallas' general fund — not back to the person who found it, as in years past.

"We appreciate your honesty," said Dallas police spokesman Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse. "We're going to put the money to good use. It's not going to be wasted, but put to good use for the City of Dallas."

That's not the answer Ashley Donaldson had been hoping for. "I was thinking about a car," she confessed.

It's also not the lesson her parents wanted her to learn.

"I'm happy that she did what she did, but the way it ended? I wish she didn't find it in the first place, because it certainly didn't teach her the right thing," her father Ben Donaldson said.

At the time Ashley found the envelope full of money, she was living in a one-bedroom apartment with her parents and her four brothers and sisters.

The family had recently moved to Texas from Colorado and could have used the money, but she felt that the $2,000 might mean more to its owner.

"This could be someone else's life, this could be someone's home," she said. "If I took it, I could never live down the guilt that would be in me."

Ashley said the bank was surprised to see such honesty, but her parents weren't.

"It was like an experience that presented itself — like a test — and my daughter passed with flying colors beautifully," said Ben Donaldson.

[Danno 1,228]

I have turned in money before, a bank bag full, I think I would be less inclined if I thought the city would keep it if the owners could not be found.

I would probably take the effort to find the owners myself.

[SMR 368]

Forget about the moral lesson. I want to know what authority the government has to do this. If you find something and no one lays prior claim of possession to it, it's yours. I suppose the shopping center where it was found might have a case for claiming the money. But where does the city government think it gets the authority to claim the money. Further, since the city participated in the search yet had something to gain by not finding the previous owner, a significant conflict of interest is at play in the search.

Also, if as Danno suggests the finder were to simply undergo efforts to find the person on his or her own, would he or she be able to legally claim the money after an unsuccessful search?

[Vi-Jay 218]

Let the kid keep the cash!

[Obama 2012 1,714]

UPDATE:

Anonymous Donor Comes Ford To Help Honest Teen!

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Annonymous-donor-comes-forward-to--121637209.html

Just hours after News 8 aired the story of Ashely Donaldson's honesty, an anonymous donor has come forth to help the Shepton High School student.

Donaldson found $2,000 in the parking lot at the Pavillion Center in North Dallas. Instead of keeping it, she turned it in, thinking she would get the money back if it was not claimed.

Three months later, under a new Dallas policy, the city of Dallas has said the unclaimed money will go into a general fund and not back to the finder - as in the past.

An anonymous donor has stepped forth with the money that Donaldson and her family need.

[Danno 1,228]

Of course this part of the story was the biggest load of BS.

<<<<

"We appreciate your honesty," said Dallas police spokesman Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse. "We're going to put the money to good use. It's not going to be wasted, but put to good use for the City of Dallas.">>>>

[FaithfulandTrue 6]

What?!?!?!? it didn't belong to the city in the first place.. I'm glad she had an honest heart.. I'm sad the government did not

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Isn't this common? Stuff seized by the police is auctioned all the time for money if they can't find the owner.