Source of Funds for Saving Bridge

Re Thomas Keiser’s letter concerning the expenditure of $27.4 million to preserve the Colorado Street Bridge, which no longer serves any transportation purpose (Times, June 28): The Editor’s Note that followed said that $20 million of the money was from the Federal Highway Administration, leaving only some $7.4 million to be paid by the city and county.

This seems to imply that since someone else’s money is being spent, it is OK.

At all levels of government, budget balancing is painful or impossible, and one of the reasons is that everyone thinks spending someone else’s money is OK.

There is no such thing as someone else’s money; it comes from all of us. Mr. Keiser is right--we can’t balance our budgets if we spend the money foolishly.

WINSTON F. FOSTER, Arcadia