Family members of Louisville Metro Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin, D-2, have received over $3,000 in taxpayer money from a city grant that the lawmaker has personally signed checks for since 2005.For the past seven years, the Petersburg/Newburg Improvement Association has received $150,000 in city funding, of which Shanklin and several relatives belong to.From The Courier-Journal: Among those who benefited were the mother of Shanklin’s grandson, who received $1,700; her son-in-law, $1,325; and Walker, who got $650 for repairing the floor in a small house the city donated to the neighborhood group. Councilman Robin Engel, R-22nd District, who was chairman of the Appropriations Committee in 2010, said the grant “wouldn’t have seen the light of day” had council members known Shanklin was appropriating the money and then signing checks for the nonprofit — particularly to her family.A review of the group's receipts show Shanklin signed the majority of the checks.This latest scandal comes after back-to-back stories concerning the councilwoman's ethical judgment, including the employment of felon her grandson as a legislative aide in her office and questions surrounding a upholstering jobs program for ex-convicts that had no former inmates.When asked if she is feeling any pressure to leave office Shanklin told WFPL she was going to serve out her term and reminded the radio station she recently won her primary election. However, some residents have already made public calls for her resignation.
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