Latest / Kendall County News - Shaw Local / 2026 Election Questionnaire: Saba Haider, State Representative, District 84

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2026 Election Questionnaire: Saba Haider, State Representative, District 84 · Kendall County News - Shaw Local

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Speaker 1: Twenty twenty six election questionnaire Saba Heider State Representative District
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eighty four, Written by Marcus Jackson. This article is being
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read by an automated voice brought to you by Everlett.
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Name Saba Hadter. What office are you seeking, Saba Heider
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State Representative District eighty four. What is your political party? Democrat?
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What is your current age? Forty one? Occupation and employer
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small business owner? What offices, if any, have you previously held?
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I am currently serving as the DuPage County Commissioner, City
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Aurora Campaign Website, Education Masters and Wildlife Science, Community Involvement,
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Current Leadership and Community Experience Board Member, Public Health Board
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to Page County Health Department, DHD Director, Indian Prayer Very
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Educational Foundation IPF Leadership Team, Parent Diversity Advisory Council p
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Deck Chair Strategic Planning Committee, du Page County Board Chair,
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Environmental Committee, du Page County Board co Chair, ad Hoc
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Housing Solutions Committee Committee Member, Economic Development, Finance, Judicial and
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AMP Public Safety Committee's Member, due Page Housing Authority chairperson
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and co founder Will and AMP do Page Counties Democratic
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AEPI Caucus Past Leadership and Community Experience Second Vice President
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Indian Prairie Parents Council IPPC Board member Variety The Children's
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Charity of Illinois for Children with Disabilities PTA President Still
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Middle School Chair Scholarship Committee IPPC for awarding scholarships to
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high school students at all three high schools and school
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District twenty four. Chair Nominating Committee for nominating the next
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executive Board of IPEF, including the chair. Chair Health and
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Wellness Committee IPPC, Chair Snack Drive Committee IPPCT Committee member
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A plus Teacher Award IPEF DISC twenty four. Community Representative
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Boundary Change Committee District twenty four. Community Representative Strategic Planning
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Team District twenty four. Team member Citizen Task Force IPSD
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twenty four, Class of twenty twenty four. Illinois Women's Institute
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for Leadership Training Academy, Grassroots Advocacy Work A member Fundraising Committee.
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Democratic Women of DuPage County Member, Democratic Women of Kane
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County Member, Naperville Township Democrats. Marital status immediate family, married
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with two kids, seventeen and thirteen. Economic growth. As a
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small business owner myself, I am committed to fostering economic
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growth by supporting local businesses, helping families thrive through job creation,
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improving public services, and promoting financial security, mental health and
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am addiction services. With the experience of serving on the
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Public Health Board, I am a strong advocate for enhanced
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mental health infrastructure, especially for youth and seniors. I support
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funding critical mental health and addiction resources, along with other
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social and safety services that keep communities safe and thriving,
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strong public schools and support for educators. I am running
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to bring community driven leadership to Springfield and deliver results
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for District eighty four. My priorities include strong public schools,
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support for educators, economic opportunity for working families, and protecting
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health care access. I will listen, collaborate, and fight for
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policies that reflect our community's values. I support economic development
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that grows good paying jobs while strengthening our local communities.
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That means investing in small and minority owned businesses, expanding
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workforce training and apprenticeship programs, and revitalizing commercial corridors to
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attract new employers. I will also fight for infrastructure improvements.
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I support property tax relief for homeowners and small businesses
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without cutting school funding. I will fight to protect access
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to affordable healthcare to reduce financial strain on families and employers.
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Economic growth must be inclusive sustainable and benefit working families
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across District eighty four. Yes, I do. I believe ten
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to twelve years is a good amount of time to
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serve the district. Five six terms for a state rep
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postume is a good limit. Illinois pension crisis presents a
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serious challenge, but it must be understood in its full context.
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The problem developed over decades due to chronic underfunding and
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deferred obligations, not because public servants received excessive benefits. Any
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responsible solution must begin with that reality and with a
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commitment to keeping promises already made. The state should continue
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consistent and responsible pension funding while exploring ways to reduce
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long term costs. This includes refinancing high interest debt where appropriate,
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offering voluntary buyouts to reduce liabilities, and improving efficiency across
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pension systems. These steps require transparency and careful planning, but
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they can help stabilize Illinois finances over time. A sustainable
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pension system benefits the broader economy. It improves the state's
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credit outlooks, supports workforce retention, and increases confidence among employers
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considering investment in Illinois. Short term fixes that shift costs
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to retirees or future taxpayers only makes the problem worse.
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Addressing the pension crisis requires discipline, honesty. In a long
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term perspective, Illinois must move beyond political rhetoric and focus
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on practical steps that creates stability for both workers and taxpayers.
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I will work to lower the property tax burden on
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homemors while protecting strong fully funded public schools. That means
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advocating for increased and more equitable state funding so local
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communities are not forced to rely so heavily on property
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taxes to support education. I support targeted property tax relief
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for seniors and working families. Paired with school funding reforms
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at close equity gaps between districts, we can provide real
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tax relief without sacrificing educational quality or shifting the burden
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onto those least able to afford it. I support the
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Safety Act because our justice system should be fair, humane,
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and focused on real public safety, not on who can
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afford to pay cash bail. Ending cash bail helps ensure
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people are not jailed simply for being poor, while judges
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retain the authority to detain individuals who pose a genuine
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threat to the community. I support continued investments in implementation,
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including resources for courts, public defenders, and pre trial services,
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as well as expanded mental health and substance use supports.
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Any changes should strengthen due process, reduce racial and economic disparities,
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and keep communities safe without rolling back core reforms. I
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would advance legislation that takes a comprehensive approach to public
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safety focused on prevention, accountability, and community trust. This includes
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investing in violence prevention programs, expanding access to mental health
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and substance use treatment, and strengthening re entry supports to
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reduce recidivism. I also support funding for trauma inform policing,
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modernized training, and resources that help law enforcement respond appropriately
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to mental health crises. Public safety works best when we
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address root causes, protect civil rights, and ensure every community
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feels safe and respected. I believe that individuals and families
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should be able to make personal health care decisions in
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consultation with medical professionals without political interference. It means protecting
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access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care, safeguarding privacy,
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and ensuring that care is affordable and accessible to all,
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regardless of income or zip code. The law is intended
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to make immigrant communities safer, encourage trust in public services
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and ensure that people can report crimes or access essential
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services without fear of triggering immigration enforcement. I will support
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strengthening the Trust Act to close loopholes and adapt to
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evolving federal enforcement practices. Illinois must ensure that state and
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local law enforcement are not used to carry out civil
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immigration enforcement. Protecting due process and fostering trust allows immigrant
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communities to safely access services and cooperate with law enforcement,
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which strengthens public safety for everyone. Healthcare coverage is fundamental
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to community well being and economic stability. Illinois should not
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allow federal rollbacks from reversing decades of progress. Often at
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the doors, people are frustrated at how difficult and cumbersome
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the processes to access public benefits can be, especially if
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English is not their native language. Making sure that we
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simplify renewal processes, expand eligibility periods, and invest in multi
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lingual outreach resources can go a long way in making
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sure we prevent people from falling through the cracks. Yes,
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I believe local governments should have a meaningful voice in
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solar farm development to ensure projects fit the needs, character,
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and priorities of their communities. At the same time, we
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need statewide standards that promote clean energy, protect the environment,
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and create good paying, local union jobs. Balancing local input
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with strong renewable energy goals will help Illinois grow sustainably
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while empowering communities to have a say in how clean
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energy is implemented. As a chair of the Inverronmental Committee
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on the DuPage County Board, I have worked hard to
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make sure that we continue to invest in green infrastructure,
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whether it is ev readiness or adding solar panels. I
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have champions sustainable efforts at the county and the General Assembly.
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I will support a balanced and sustainable approach to Illinois's
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energy future that prioritizes clean, reliable, and affordable power. Nuclear energy,
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including existing facilities like Byron, can play a role as
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a low carbon source, while we continue to expand renewable
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energy like wind and solar. My vision is a diverse
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energy mix that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, invests in emerging
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clean technologies, creates good paying jobs, and ensures energy security
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for families and businesses across the state. I serve as
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the co chair of the DuPage County ad Hawk Housing
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Committee and the du Page Housing Authority Board. I strongly
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believe that we should be. Illinois faces a severe housing shortage,
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and ADUs are a common sense, low impact way to
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quickly expand affordable housing options. I support legislation that allows
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ADUs statewide while ensuring all health, safety and building standards
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remain intact. ADUs can help seniors age in place, support
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multi generational families, and increased supply. The demand for smaller
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attainable homes is high, and outdated zoning rules are preventing
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the market from meeting that demand. I support sensible zoning
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reforms that reduce unnecessary barriers such as oversized minimum lot requirements,
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and allow for modest increases in diverse housing types. Changes
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can expand affordability while still providing the option of traditional
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single family neighborhoods. Illinois must ensure that the rapid growth
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of data centers does not shift higher energy or water
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costs onto residents and small businesses. I support requiring large
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data centers to pay their fair share through transparent utility
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rate structures, energy efficiency standards, and on site or contracted
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clean energy generation to reduce strain on the grid. The
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state should also set clear water use standards that protect
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local water supplies, require conservation and recycling plans and give
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communities a real voice in making those decisions. The state
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should not provide open ended or blank check funding for
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the new Chicago Bear Stadium. Any public investment must be limited, transparent,
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and tied to clear public benefits, such as infrastructure improvements,
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strong labour standards, and protections for local taxpayers and schools.
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Large scale developments such as a professional sports stadium should
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not mean that mega developments shift that burden onto homeowners
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and small businesses. Private owners should bear the primary cost,
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and state resources should be prioritized for education, public safety, housing,
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and infrastructure that benefit communities statewide. Yes, the state should
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play a role in regulating the use of AI in
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the classroom to ensure it supports learning, protects students, and
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respects educators professional judgment. That means setting clear guardrails around
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data privacy, transparency, and equity while preventing the misuse of
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student data and algorithmic bias. At the same time, schools
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and teachers should retain flexibility to use AI as a
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tool to enhance instruction, reduce administrative burden, and support individualized learning,
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not replace educators. Thoughtful regulation can encourage innovation while keeping
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students rights and educational quality at the center. My campaign
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is powered by grassroots supporters, working families, and labor unions.
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The vast majority of my donations are small dollar contributions
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and I I talk to my donors to discuss issues, policies,
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and concerns as in when needed. I do not rely
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on corporate pack money