NEW CANAAN: "Look around at your neighbors and friends. Do you know many earning more income in 2011 than they did in 2010? I do not. In fact, most people I know have had less and less income in the last several years since the economic doldrums started. Our home values have gotten completely destroyed as well. The message is that people in our community now are earning less money and have less accumulated wealth than they have had in many years. Why is it that government spending cannot adjust to the new reality, just as private individuals and companies are forced to adjust?? Is it that inconceivable to actually deliver a spending CUT?!? How about a tax cut? Does anyone else find it strange that we as a community and our leaders do not even discuss the possibility of a tax cut? I certainly find it strange. The economic reality should necessitate such a conversation, and I hope it does. Rob, aim for zero or less, and forget about the 2.5 percent. It is a gigantic task, and I wish you a lot of luck and success on hitting zero or lower." This is one reader's response to a video interview with First Selectman Rob Mallozzi about the upcoming 2012-2013 budget.

NEW CANAAN: "Thank you for the indroduction of a new concept in our town...'transparent government!' It is truly refreshing not having to wait for Thursday's paper to catch a blurb about what might be going on in town hall. Cheers!" This a comment from another reader in response to Mallozzi's video interview.

NORWALK: "Trains can derail, planes can have a bird strike, cars can pile up, even if you just stay home a tree can fall on your house and kill you — so you might as well keep going on cruises ..." This is one reader's response to an article about the impact that the recent cruise tragedy in Tuscany may have on the way local residents travel.

TRUMBULL: "The difficulty is that public school teachers and the expectation of teachers must be different than that of people in the private sector. For example, in the private sector, if a market (or product line) proves troublesome or unprofitable, the business will exit that market (or product line). In the public school system, all students are expected to be educated. If a student has difficulty, the school system can't abandon that student. A troublesome class must be dealt with by the teacher and as a result, his/her performance may not be as good as if he/she had an excellent class. When you understand this you can see how difficult it would be to set expectations, particularly in the younger grades becuse the children are changing rapidly. It is not impossible to do and should be done but, as I said, this will require dialogue and understanding, two commodities that are in short supply." This is one reader's response to an opinion piece by Heather Borden Hervé about the recent national focus on how much teachers should be be paid and how their performance should be evaluated.