2022 Voter Guide: Kathy Diener, candidate for Maryland House District 3

Why are you running for office?

I want to help Maryland remain a free, fair, and prosperous place to live.

What is the most pressing issue in your district?

As the last two years have demonstrated, we have a serious problem with government overreach into all aspects of life, to include dictating when and how we shop, eat in restaurants, go to the movies, or breathe in public. One glaring aspect of this overreach is the government education establishment’s efforts to indoctrinate children and circumvent parental authority.

How will you help your constituents deal with inflation?

Inflation results from a combination of federal monetary policy and reckless tax and spending policies at the federal and state levels. Elimination of regulations that restrict the ability of small and medium-sized businesses to succeed is crucial to enable organic growth in wages and opportunity.

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

The population of Frederick County has increased dramatically since the last expansion of I-270. US-15 is also carrying significantly more traffic from the northern part of the county over the past 10 years. These roads and bridges are in serious need of repair, update, and expansion.

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

In general, schools should recognize parents as the primary guardians of their children’s wellbeing. As such, it should be up to parents to decide whether children attend school in person, wear masks, etc. Shutdowns and mandates should not be imposed. However, online and remote education should be developed and formalized for those students whose families chose that option.

How equitably do police officers treat people of color?

Protecting the people from crime is an essential responsibility of government, and polls show that communities of color want more policing, not less. At the same time, the police force represents the full power of the state; therefore, it must be disciplined and managed with sufficient oversight to protect the rights of everyone it serves.

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

I support a single election day (no early voting), in-person voting, voter ID, and absentee voting by mail only for limited exceptions. Considering the value of public confidence in the integrity of the electoral system, these commonsense measures, which were the norm in the past, are not too much to expect.

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

Energy policy should focus on improving the efficiency and production of energy through those modalities the free market supports. Government-imposed limits and deadlines will lead to wasteful spending, increased economic hardship for consumers, and other unintended consequences that are likely to cause more suffering than they alleviate.

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

Government at all levels is responsible for the economic crisis attending the Covid pandemic. The best path forward is to empower individuals and small businesses to perform their own risk/benefit analysis and choose how to respond.