An item in The Times on May 16 seemed ironic when Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner later said that the United States had reached the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. He said he could juggle finances around and we could make it until sometime in August.

In this Times article, our area officials said they were "looking for ways to tap into a pot of federal transportation dollars now that plans for a Hall County freight study that would have used that money have been shelved."

These officials seem to have stooped to the fiscally irresponsible attitude that has plagued our entire federal government: Spend and spend more. If we don't have the money, no problem. China and Saudi Arabia are countries that will help us out.

The federal government (our elected officials) keep promising and delivering and it appears the giving has just about "gave out." And not a soul cares. Keep on spending and promising to keep on getting elected.

The amount Hall County was discussing was $35,000 in local money and $135,000 in federal money. Not much, but regardless of the amount, it's an awful lot if neither one has it, especially in the country's current economic state.

It seems to me that "searching for a planning study of some sort" just to get to nonexistent money puts our boys close to the Washington attitude.

I'm not a wiz at numbers but when I think how every citizen of this country's portion of the national debt is about $50,000 and climbing, that's a lot to put out. Your individual share of interest on our national debt is roughly $1,500 per year. This puts a chill up my back and it should do likewise to you.

So you local officials who want federal dollars but don't seem to have a really legitimate need for it, please forget about it. Neither of you has the money and a dreamed-up reason would be stealing instead of needing.

Joseph M. McGuigan
Gainesville