The quote is actually, "The love of money is the root of all evil." And I suspect this is because there are people who use money as an economic tool, but there are others who use money as a means to gain power over others and coerce them. Like heavy objects, firearms, automobiles, etc. the inanimate object is morally neutral, and the user is the one who must choose good or evil.
I couldn't agree more, it's an inanimate object that is morally neutral. Very well put, it's the user as you said who uses it for good or evil, or something neutral.