Have you checked out The Hot Seat? It's our opinion-page blog that brings in your elected leaders and people in the news and lets you ask the questions during a live online chat.

On The Hot Seat last week was state House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan, R-32nd (Lower Pearlridge, 'Aiea, Halawa). Here is an excerpt from that Hot Seat session. (Names of questioners are screen names given during our online chat).

Roosevelt Freeman: I am concerned about the level of taxation across the board. I am wondering what the House Republicans are doing to ease the tax burden on all the people who pay taxes in Hawai'i?

Lynn Finnegan: We are strongly supporting tax relief measures at the Capitol. The House bills that are currently alive are the mandatory tax rebate, earned income tax credit, and a bill that combined standard deduction, automatic tax adjustments for inflation and adjusting tax brackets. I would like the public to weigh in on moving these bills forward. It is very important that we help Hawai'i's people by lightening the heavy tax burden that currently exists.

Bill Prescott: In your opening-day speech at the Legislature, you said, "your House Republicans will continue to strongly support public charter schools" using your children's charter school's experience as one reason. But are you aware that charter schools are taking our best teachers and students away from the public schools in disadvantaged areas? That it is making the job of teachers left behind more difficult and learning worse? Have you given any thought to supporting charter schools for students having difficulty in learning, (charter schools) staffed with teachers and curriculums to meet their needs so they can return to regular classes and in offering incentives to attract teachers to such (charter schools)?

Finnegan: I want everyone to remember, first and foremost, that charter schools are public schools. I ask public charter school teachers why they moved to a charter. The answer is always less bureaucracy and red tape, giving them more support and the ability to focus on student learning. I am an advocate for all public school students. Many public charter schools do exactly what you propose, and that is address educational needs of students who fail in the traditional public school environment. There are 23 openings for traditional public schools to convert to public charter schools. Of the 25 conversion slots, a "disadvantaged" school on Moloka'i is a conversion public charter school. Another "disadvantaged" school, Kamaile Elementary School in Wai'anae, is currently applying.

Natty: Why hasn't the Legislature considered extending its four-month session to six or 12 months? It's obvious they don't currently have the time to act on the number of legislative bills which have more than tripled over the past 20 years.

Finnegan: The legislative session is short and packed with important issues to address. Many states do this differently. For instance, California is year-round. Montana and others are every other year. I would be in support of this discussion, and it can be done through a constitutional amendment or Con-Con.

Elizabeth: I understand there is a bill that will limit the number of names that could be submitted to the governor for judicial vacancies. Please explain why the leadership at the Legislature thinks it is necessary to limit the governor's authority — especially with laws that expire at the end of this governor's term. Thank you.

Finnegan: There have been 109 bills introduced in the Legislature that attempt to "handcuff" the governor's authority. I view this as a political move. These bills did not move forward when there was a Democrat governor.

Rachel: Why are you spending so much time on charter schools while ignoring special education and other areas that need attention and affect more of Hawai'i's children?

Finnegan: I have advocated for many education issues, including special education. I have voiced my strong opinions on Act 51, public school governance, and I visit schools, principals and teachers regularly to learn more of the issues that our public schools are facing. I have supported Felix and pushing more money to the school level so that the school-level community can do more to address these concerns. I do get more attention when I speak about charter schools, though.

Dennis DeBell: On Jan. 31, while in The Hot Seat, Gov. Linda Lingle was asked why she had never asked for some sort of cost-of-living allowance for Hawai'i's seniors in regard to the tax on Social Security benefits. The governor's answer was that it was a good idea. Also, reading e-mails being forwarded among seniors on the Internet, I came across one in which you stated that you were familiar with the areas that the federal government gave COLA-type adjustments, and thanked the writer for educating you on the Social Security tax issue. In this regard, I would like to know if the governor or the state Legislature have any plans to ask the federal government for COLA assistance in the taxing of Social Security benefits for Hawai'i seniors? This would help with the disparity in the cost of living between Hawai'i and the Mainland.

Finnegan: I just introduced a resolution last week that addresses this issue. It requests Congress to consider these COLA adjustments for Hawai'i. I will be advocating for this resolution to be heard and passed.

Christian: What are the plans for the Aloha Stadium? Does that area really need more low-income housing? Seems like that community is saddled with enough. And will we see something done on this during this legislative session?

Finnegan: There is a bill in the Legislature to consider building a new stadium in the 'Ewa Plain. There was also a suggestion to have low-income housing where the current Aloha Stadium is. The third issue is that the Aloha Stadium is in bad need of repair.

I support the repair of Aloha Stadium. I don't see any way around that. I am less enthusiastic about building a new stadium. I am surveying my community to get their feedback on more low-income housing at the current Aloha Stadium location.

Bill Prescott: Shouldn't all charter schools be open on a first-come, first-served basis like any public school, rather than selective so as not to compete with private schools? Should teachers be allowed to choose their assignment over the needs of their employer and students?

Finnegan: My experience is that public charter schools are on a first-come, first-served basis or a lottery system. Please note that with the geographic exception of traditional public schools, schools can choose their students in a less transparent way. Regarding teachers, there is a specific process of applying with the DOE and each school principal interviewing and choosing the teacher.

Steve Doyle: The dismal voter turnout at the polls in Hawai'i should not be blamed solely on voter apathy. Twenty-five years ago, Hawai'i had the dubious distinction, in business circles, of being a beautiful place where "if you pay, you can play" with the Democratic party elite and the union bosses.

Even though we have a vigorous and articulate Republican governor today, the voters of our state recognize that little seems to have changed from the "bad 'ol days" in the state House and Senate.

My question to you is: How can a Legislature that has held sway, and done so little for so long, possibly convince Hawai'i voters that despite state House Speaker Calvin Say's political "machine," a multiparty system is still in the best interests of Hawai'i, when all we have known is the Democratic Party? And what do you feel is the importance of a multiparty system for our future? I personally feel it would be a welcome change to not have to pick between Caesar and Brutus.

Finnegan: Because we are of a different party, we can be more transparent in our opposition to bills. Oftentimes, good legislation is crafted due to Republicans' opposing comments. The Hawai'i Republicans do the best job we can now in hopes that it will bring about a more balanced two-party Legislature for a better government.

Michael Berry: What do you see as a free-market solution the problem of expensive housing in Hawai'i?

Finnegan: Improving our housing stock through more affordable housing options will help with the overall cost of housing. Innovation in education, work force development, our economy will help us not concentrate on sustainability, but focus us on attainability.