Each week Editorial and Opinion Editor Jeanne Mariani-Belding hosts The Hot Seat, our opinion-page blog that brings in 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 Senate Minority Leader Fred Hemmings, who represents the Kailua, Lanikai, Waimanalo and Hawai'i Kai areas.

The following is an excerpt from that Hot Seat session. To see the full conversation, go to The Hot Seat blog at www.honoluluadvertiser.com/opinion and click on "The Hot Seat." (Names of questioners are screen names given during our online chat.)

Kyle: My question for Sen. Hemmings deals with partisan politics. So we've seen or heard how difficult it is for Republicans to have their bills heard in the Legislature dominated by Democrats, so much so that folks feel they need to switch parties. This is shameful; for taxpayers who believe in a two-party system, it's utterly discouraging.

Hemmings: It is extremely frustrating being a Republican in the Legislature. We know how disastrous a monopoly can be in any endeavor, public or private. Republicans stand in the breach. What is also frustrating is the clear evidence and success of Republican leadership found in the executive branch of government with Gov. Linda Lingle. Hopefully the people of Hawai'i will remember it at the next election that the one-party system of the status quo over the last 40 years has not served their interest. I am proud to be a Republican, though I sometimes feel like Leonidas at Thermopylae.

Keoni: What do you think should be done to address our growing homeless problem?

Hemmings: Homelessness is a pervasive issue that is caused by many problems. One certainly is drug addiction, especially ice. Besides drug rehabilitation, we must enhance the penalties on those evil people selling drugs to our most vulnerable citizens. In addition, we must make Hawai'i more affordable for our citizens. This would include tax cuts on the poor. Hawai'i is one of the worst states in the nation for taxing the poor. We should also provide economic incentives to build affordable housing swiftly and economically. There are solutions to our homeless problem that include all of us working constructively together. Government has not and will not do it alone.

JohnK: As a waterman and a person who loves the beach, what is your stand on the beach access issue? Should this be something the state Legislature should look into? Is this a state issue or just a city problem?

Hemmings: As a state legislator I believe in county home rule. This is clearly a county issue. The solution is to have the counties set budget priorities in order to have their government acquire through the legal condemnation process reasonable public access to our beaches. It is not in anyone's interest to have the state government get involved. Call your council person and your mayor and tell them to get the job done.

Bill: Do you think enough is being done in regards to fixing up the University of Hawai'i, not only the athletic department, but all of its facilities? What are the Republicans offering up?

Hemmings: Republicans, under the leadership of Gov. Lingle, have done much already. The Board of Regents through UH President David McClain are setting realistic priorities. We cannot afford to just throw more money at our problems. Every year the Legislature increases the budget for different interests and claims they have solved the problems. Unfortunately when it comes to capital improvements, it is double, sometimes triple the cost the private sector would pay to get the same job done, and likewise takes considerably longer. Republicans would like to see more public/private partnerships in building infrastructure including education facilities. Republicans want to see the university have the autonomy and the flexibility in order to get capital improvements done on time and on budget.

Shirley: How do you feel about having district school boards? If you are in favor, what do you think is the advantage?

Hemmings: I believe in district school boards and much more. Regrettably, Hawai'i has the only one-size-fits-all statewide school system in the nation.

The truth is despite the public relations campaign otherwise, in reality Hawai'i's educational system overall ranks amongst the poorest in the nation. Our children and teachers are most capable of performing well. The statistics should alarm everyone. The overall educational budget of $2.4 billion, divided by about 179,000 public schoolchildren, equates to about $12,000-plus per child. This amount is higher than most private schools, including Catholic schools.

There is a solution to our education dilemma. Charter schools provide for decision making at the schools, involve parents and have a track record of success. Charter schools are the ultimate decentralization, where money and decision making is put back in the schools where the students and teachers are. Unfortunately, the DOE/BOE hierarchy is doing everything they can to hassle chartered schools, including excessive audits and underfunding them. We need more charter schools. They are a formula for success.

Sally: I read the article the other day in The Honolulu Advertiser regarding a good Samaritan bill you introduced. Can you explain why this is needed?

Hemmings: Ironically, empirical evidence suggests that jurisdictions with tough sentencing laws result in fewer people in prison. Consequences in the form of enhanced sentencing such as I am proposing for crimes committed against a good Samaritan will first and foremost help protect victims and hopefully provide a deterrent to crime. The truth of the matter is that the burden of the crime has to be put on violent people. We have to put the bad guys in prison, especially when they attack children, disabled, and those such as good Samaritans.

Annie Lyn: I am frustrated with traffic in our Islands, but I don't think a rail system is the answer. I think simple solutions like reminding people the left lane is the fast lane, making sure the lights are timed right, working on the roads at night, and perhaps moving state government to Kapolei would solve some of the problems. Would you support any of these ideas? If not, why, and what would you propose?

Hemmings: O'ahu citizens cannot afford a $5 billion rail system that will probably cost considerably more. There are alternative solutions that could provide relief: