Campaign Issues

Carolyn (Morris) Zasada, Dedicated Public Servant and Former Marine, Vies for State Representative

With an impressive résumé steeped in service and commitment, Carolyn (Morris) Zasada has officially announced her candidacy for Democratic State Representative.

Currently serving as the 1st Ward Alderman for the City of DeKalb, I am a proud Marine veteran with 13 years of dedicated service. My campaign issues reflect my unwavering commitment to community welfare, focusing on tax reductions, affordable health care, and ensuring that wages are livable for all. As a proven leader, I promise to bring a fresh and transformative perspective to the role of State Representative.

I will champion the types of programs that gave me a fighting chance — policies that perhaps make it just a little bit easier for the next generation to achieve their ambitions. 

Campaign Issues: Women’s Reproductive Rights, A Vision of Lower Taxes, Affordable Health Care, and Living Wages

Women’s Reproductive Rights

I am an unwavering proponent for reproductive rights. Women have the right to full control over their own healthcare decisions. As a mother of four, who added a foster child this year I’ve seen the pain children are faced with when their parents aren’t prepared to parent. As a State Legislator, I will prioritize protecting women’s right to access abortion at all costs. I will never let the right be stripped away. Ensuring women have access to reproductive healthcare is a necessity.

Supporting the Next Generation

As a mother of five, I know what it’s like to struggle to support a family. As your Representative, I will

  • Invest in education to ensure quality K-12 schooling and affordable higher education.
  • Advocate for affordable housing initiatives to make homeownership more attainable.
  • Encourage entrepreneurship and provide resources for aspiring young business owners.

Economic Growth and Job Creation

Creating well-paying jobs and making sure our local businesses thrive are both crucial for the well-being of this community. Here’s what I will do to support our communities’ economy:

  • Lift up small businesses through grants and tax incentives to stimulate local economies.
  • Invest in infrastructure projects to create jobs while improving public services.
  • Encourage innovation and technology to fuel job growth in emerging industries.

Accessible Health Care, Including Mental Health Treatment

Everyone deserves access to quality and affordable Health Care. Here’s what I’ll do to make sure you get the care you need:

  • Expand Medicaid to cover up to 150% of the federal poverty level.
  • Reduce prescription drug costs through negotiation and importation.
  • Fund and expand mental health programs for our neighbors suffering from mental illness or substance abuse. 

Championing Workers’ Rights: A Family Legacy

A commitment to championing workers’ rights is deeply rooted in my family history. As a result, a legacy of union membership has had a profound impact on our lives. Throughout generations, our family has understood the importance of unions and the opportunities they create for workers and their families.

My Story

My grandfather was a member of the Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Additionally, my grandmother was a member of the Chicago Teachers Union, and my mother and many more immediate family members were union members.

My most significant memory of my family’s history with unions is of my uncle Dave, who was a member of Sewer and Tunnel Local 2 in Chicago. In the summers, I would stay at my aunt and uncle’s house, and, despite being a full time worker, Uncle Dave always was able to tend to his family, driving me to gymnastics camp and his kids to hockey practice. My own father never had that liberty because he didn’t work for a union. Because my Uncle Dave belonged to the union, he had the opportunity to be present in his kids’ lives.

A Pledge to Workers Rights

In Springfield, Carolyn will protect workers’ rights to unionize, collectively bargain, and strike. All workers deserve fair wages, better working conditions, and healthcare benefits.