2022 Voter Guide: Karen Simpson, candidate for Maryland House District 3

Why are you running for office?

I am a Maryland native who loves this State. I am a violence survivor who survived to become a #MeToo champion for the 81% of women and 43% of men subjected to abuse and gender violence in their home, work, school, or community by a few who bully, bruise, and sometimes murder the people we care about. Everyone knows someone who has been abused or mistreated. We can protect them. Domestic violence is an epidemic impacting our economy, our education system, and our safety. The issues that affect our families and neighbors will be my priority. I am a Maryland public servant with over 30 years of experience working in Annapolis. I attended Maryland Public Schools. I graduated from Towson University. I understand the problems facing our community and will be a voice of change to solve those problems. I am running to be the change many of us seek.

What is the most pressing issue in your district?

Frederick’s most pressing issue is growth. Moderate growth is good and healthy but Frederick’s rapidly growing communities without adequate infrastructure to support the growth puts pressure on our government, our schools, our roads, our justice system, our flood mitigation system, and every other county and city system. We need to invest in our infrastructure to keep pace with our growth. As a Maryland treasure, the State has an obligation to assist Frederick in developing our infrastructure, addressing climate change, and stabilizing our social structure.

How will you help your constituents deal with inflation?

I will support financial incentives to encourage all levels of government, non-profits, and businesses to increase the number of workers working remotely. We learned during the pandemic that working remotely saves gas, saves time, saves costs, improves work life balance, and reduces carbon emissions. Housing affordability is a major problem. We must pass policies to reduce evictions. We must reduce fares on local public transportation, and create price controls to regulate cost for utilities, medicine, food, gas, and other necessities. We must stabilize our economy, stabilize housing costs, and further invest in renewable energy. We must continue to provide resources for our vulnerable working families. We can do that by reducing their tax stress.

What do you see as the top transportation priority in your district, and how would you address it?

Frederick needs reliable, cost-effective public transportation. A strong public transportation system is vital to protecting our economy and our environment. Public transportation must include an affordable, reliable, and available commuter train system to connect Frederick with the Washington Metro area as well as Baltimore. Residents will use public transportation if it gets them where they need to go when they need to be there.

What should schools do differently during the next pandemic to help students, families and teachers?

The pandemic provided many teachable moments. Technology helped us reimagine how education could look like for all learners to thrive. Teachers and student who excelled in virtual learning environments should continue to have virtual learning opportunities. The State must establish statewide pandemic health protocols that define when it is safe to meet in person, when school must be held virtually, and when a hybrid plan is appropriate. These policies must reflect the important role our teachers and other school personnel hold in our communities by including school personnel in crafting these regulations, policies, and procedures. We need special provisions for individuals identified at greater health risk based on age, race, or health status. Technology helped us reimagine

How equitably do police officers treat people of color?

As a former CPS worker and a manager for the Law Enforcement Officers Pension System, I understand the sacrifices our officers make to protect Marylanders. That said, every profession has a few who are in the wrong profession and reflect poorly on the team. An unjust society is created when any citizen is given more rights than other citizens. For centuries rich white people, are afforded more rights to be protected and served than people of color. People of color are treated less fairly for the same offense than white people. Black adults are five times more likely to be pulled over for minor traffic violations than white adults. White supremacist organizations recruit members to join law enforcement so they can commit acts of violence on minority groups. Although most law enforcement officers desire to administer justice fairly, we must acknowledge and address intentional and unconscious bias.

What would you do to make sure Maryland’s voting system is secure and accurate?

Maryland’s voting system is secure and accurate. I worked for the Maryland Election Board. The Board tests the equipment through parallel testing and regular maintenance. Voting needs to be more not less accessible.

What are the right goals and deadlines for Maryland to reduce carbon emissions and develop renewable energy sources?

Maryland should strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2030 and to reach net-zero emissions by 2035. These emissions targets are ambitious, but achievable. They also create jobs and a better living environment for all.

What’s Maryland’s best use of federal COVID relief money?

Maryland should use federal COVID relief funds to stabilize our economy, stabilize housing costs, and further invest in renewable energy.