2022 Voter Guide: Ladetra Robinson, candidate for Maryland House District 2B

Why are you running for office?

I am running for public office because I want to bring things back to the basics. For nearly 30 years, I have been an active member of the Hagerstown community. It is where my husband and I raised our three adult children and where I founded my organization The Blossom School of Etiquette. For almost two decades, this organization has served Hagerstown’s young adults. I’m running for this seat to continue serving the Hagerstown community, just in a different role as State Delegate. My primary goals in office, should I be elected, would be improving our schools by focusing on preparing our children for their next steps to enter into society. Ensuring our communities are safe. Assuring the safety of our communities, public spaces, and families is crucial for any community to move forward. Lastly, strengthening our economy and creating jobs. By focusing on entrepreneurship and workforce development.

What is the most pressing issue in your district?

Economic and Workforce Development.

How will you help your constituents deal with inflation?

By working to lower everyone’s healthcare costs, drug prices, and taxes. I would also focus on advocating for small businesses, providing support to low-income families, and investing in programs that create opportunities for all.

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

Improving our Washington County Transit Department. I believe if we invest in newer model buses, invest in the recruitment of more bus drivers and pay them more, add more routes and increase the hours and availability, and frequency that our buses run, it will increase ridership. I believe those are just a few remedies that will make riding public transit in our city more accessible for people to do so.

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

Schools should invest more time in working to help facilitate more collaboration amongst their ranks. Whether through programs or initiatives. Being able to share ideas and innovate on how to best serve students in unpredictable times will be crucial. Schools should promote more student, youth, and children’s voices through either task forces or initiatives. Our children know what is happening around them and we would be wise to listen to them more especially in matters that are directly affecting them. We should make free and open source technologies available to teachers and students.

How equitably do police officers treat people of color?

The overwhelming majority of police officers are good and serve our communities honorably and treat people of color with respect. Now, are there bad apples in the police force? Yes, and we have to address that. Simple measures that improve accountability such as body camera usage is a great way to figure out who the police officers that are not treating people of color equitably.

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

I would do a few things. Invest in new voting machines and replace the old ones. Require voter-verified paper ballots or records for every vote cast. Update and secure outdated voter registration systems. Introduce or sponsor legislation that would update our overall election infrastructure.

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

Achieving Net-Zero carbon emissions by 2050 and working to make Maryland mostly dependent on renewable energy by 2045 by investing in public transportation, wind, and solar energy.

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

Making sure those funds are allocated to Housing Assistance Programs, Food Assistance Programs, and investing in our overall Education system & Small Businesses.