14-509. Funds; obligation and expenditure; violations; liability of officers; actions to recover; duty of city attorney.

To attempt to incur, to incur, to attempt to pay, or to pay any obligation prohibited by sections 14-501 to 14-508 shall be malfeasance in office on the part of the city officer participating therein. To attempt to transfer, to transfer, or to use any of the money or credits appropriated to a fund, to another fund or to other and different purposes and uses for which appropriated shall be held to be malfeasance in office on the part of the officer participating therein. The creation or attempted creation of obligations not authorized by this act or prohibited thereby shall render the members of the city council voting therefor liable to the city for the amount of the obligation so created or the amount of money or credits unlawfully diverted or used, and the voting for such shall be prima facie evidence of malfeasance in office. Thereupon it shall become the duty of the city attorney forthwith to proceed to enforce by suit in the courts of the state such liability against the delinquent officers and the sureties on their bonds. In the event of the refusal or failure of the city attorney so to proceed as above directed, a taxpayer may demand in writing that the city attorney proceed as directed herein, and on his failure so to do within thirty days thereafter, such taxpayer may commence the action herein authorized on the part of the city attorney in the name of the taxpayer and prosecute the same to final judgment. The taxpayer shall, however, as a condition of his right to commence and prosecute such suit give such security for costs as may be directed by the court.

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