Online readers are able to respond immediately to Star-Bulletin stories through our Web forum, which can be accessed at the end of stories, editorials and columns at starbulletin.com. Below is a selection of forum comments that appeared last week. Most forum contributors use pseudonyms; their “;names”; have been omitted here.

”;Tuition hikes ease up at isle private schools,”; Star-Bulletin, Feb. 19: Gonna have to tighten your belt. No dating, no breakfast, peanut butter sandwiches or crackers, brown bag lunches, Spam and more peanut butter for dinner, catch the bus, buy used books and clothes. If you can't afford it, don't go there. Let the rich go. Private school doesn't necessarily make you smart. Kids are smart before they even get in. Most of education is textbook reading.The smartest continue reading after they graduate.

No matter how expensive private schools are, you have no choice, it's either that or the retarded public schools system.

It's people like you who perpetuate the sick attitudes toward one of the great public services in the world. Yes, there are many things that need improving but public schools are responsible for educating a vast majority of people who have and will contribute to keeping our nation great. Instead of spouting your hate, why don't you step back and think about what a disservice you have done by condemning most Americans as part of a “;retarded”; system. Unlike you, I, as a product of your “;retarded”; system, have been taught to have respect for others.

”;Group wants fund saved for cancer,”; Star-Bulletin, Feb. 19: Once again, in the little Third World state of Hawaii, the Third World legislators are caught with their hands in the cookie jar. This time it was to steal the cancer research fund and throw it into the state's untrackable black hole slush fund. Why is it that once elected, our legislators have no morals, no integrity, not a clue on leadership, trust and honesty?

”;Mayor reports $50 million gap,”; Star-Bulletin, Feb. 20: Mayor Hannemann, in a grim State of the City address yesterday, proposed a series of cost-cutting measures as the city faces a $50 million budget deficit. How about dropping the choo-choo?

The mayor is projecting a shortfall of about $250 million in two years. Most intelligent people cut projects to save money, not create a massive project that has not generated a single dime for about five years. Instead of a shortfall in the millions, millions will mean billions. His pay cut of 5 percent for him and his staff will be made up by the rail for years to come.

$50 million down this year, $110 million down next year, and they're raising the property tax just to fill this shortfall. Then we have the billion for sewers and the $7 billion for the rail. Who is going to pay for all this? People are hurting, and all they can think of is to keep raising our taxes. It's nothing to sing about. Cut the train to nowhere already.

Why is Hannemann even saying that he will work ONE day free per month. That is absolutely peanuts for him and his staff. It would have been more impressive, if he had said one week for him and his people. Further, he has the audacity to even consider raising the property tax rate and other fees for the people of this state. His train is going to cost us taxpayers big dollars. He needs to change his ways. Under his administration, there is more homelessness and deterioration of the parks. Even City Hall is going down hill, just look at the grounds surrounding it.

HGEA members were told to vote for Hannemann. Is this the way Mufi is paying us back, by not giving us raises?

”;UH might be forced to cut a sport,”; Star-Bulletin, Feb. 20: Cut out the scholarships to the athletes who do not graduate. Make them pay back the money. Having half of the football team not graduate is disgraceful.

College does not exist to provide gateways for your NFL wannabees. Time to eliminate college sports except for real amateurs once and for all.

Sorry in advance to all you baseball fans, but, it's time to cut baseball as a budgetary item at UH.

Baseball at UH is our most successful national team, consistently winning year after year. Of course, they get no press or notice. We're lucky to have a 300 year football team though, go Bows!