MAGNOLIA SPRINGS — Emotions ran high at the Magnolia Springs Community Hall Thursday afternoon when U.S. Congressman Jo Bonner held a town-hall meeting.

The visit to Magnolia Springs was part of a series of 14 meetings Bonner held throughout his district to share legislative news from the U.S. Capitol and to hear concerns from constituents. However, a few Magnolia Springs questioned the federal government’s handling of finances.

“We’ve had several votes to extend the debt limit,” Bonner said in response. “I’ve voted against more of them than I have voted for them. But I have voted for some.”

He also pointed to the current division in the national government for one reason he cannot accomplish all he would like to.

“Not only a division of parties, but of philosophies,” the Congressman said.

Bonner said he and other conservatives in Congress are keeping the president from obtaining his own goals with the nation’s finances.

“Obama wanted to raise taxes on millionaires and billionaires,” he said. “I voted against that.”

However, he said, that vote had repercussions.

“Everybody’s taxes went up,” Bonner said.

One attendee said that not enough is being done in Washington.

“Every time we allow money to be borrowed and printed, it’s creating inflation,” he said, adding that nearly everyone in the community hall was at or near retirement age. “Retired people are not going to be able to survive inflation.”

But Bonner countered by pointing out that both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate passed budgets.

“The Senate passed a budget for the first time in four years,” the Congressman said.

He added that an option would be to shift monies around.

“But we did that in 1995 and it didn’t work,” Bonner he said.

“We’re talking about additional money,” another attendee said.

Bonner countered by saying the government “actually reduced spending this year.”

“I have a fixed income,” the attendee repolied. “When groceries go up, I have to adjust. Why can’t y’all do that?”

Bonner responded to the complaints by pointing to legislation that he is working on.

“This week, I’m trying to get a red-snapper bill passed,” he said. “We are trying to get a resolution passed so people won’t have to be told they can only catch two fish every 28 days.”

When the questions about Federal spending continued, Bonner became animated in his responses, pointing to a lower national debt than in recent years and his part in efforts that helped bring Airbus to the area.

“I worked my *** off to bring Airbus here,” he shouted.

Bonner also reminded those attending that they can always vote to replace him at the next election.