The Modern Mommsen wrote:Are libraries government agencies in the USA, btw?
No, Walter, they are not, not in the sense which Baldimo would have you believe. They are, almost without exception, agencies of
municipal government, and as such, have no governmental relationship whatsoever with the Federal government.
The Federal government has a limited ability to compel governments at lower levels. Their relationship to the several states is both described and limited by the Constitution. There is no constitutional relationship between Federal and lower level governments, which is to say, county, parish and municipal government. In most instances in which the Federal government has attempted to use its revenue sharing activities to compel lower level governments, it has been struck down by the courts, the only exception being that it can refuse to disburse funds to lower level governments which do not compy with legislation which the Congress has enacted which speficically calls upon governments to comply in order to receive funds. So, for example, the Federal Highway Transportation Fund will withhold monies to states which do not comply with the speed limit laws they wish to mandate. However, if the state is willing to do without the money, they can set that speed limit which they choose. This is not often done, and when it is, it is done because the Congress would otherwise have no power to compel the lower level government.
Those principles absolutely do not come into play with regard to municipal governments in such a case as this.