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Web posted January 23, 1997

Editor, The Chronicle

I have some very strong concerns about the recent inauguration costs: $31 million to throw parties? It seem this money could better be spent on other things, like eliminating a deficit bill that our president is so determined on clearing up, or eliminating the layoff of hundreds of personnel at Savannah River Site. Many of these people have devoted their whole lives to working for our government, some in very high-risk areas of the plant, to be told the budget won't allow them to continue working on the very same day our president allows $31 million to be spent on himself in glory!

Where are our priorities and our morals? Which is of most importance: a glorified, overspent party, or feeding your children, providing roofs over their heads or even furnishing them with the education President Clinton preaches is so important?

I am no politician, but it seems to me that they are cutting from the wrong budgets. How can this go on? We continue cutting back, laying off people from private, public, state and government jobs and our political officials keep on partying? We write our officials and get no response.

Sherry Laurence, Augusta