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Full Name:
Randi Olson
What office are you seeking?
State Representative for Illinois District 70
What is your political party?
Democrat
What is your current age?
60
Occupation and Employer:
Health and safety coach for 4-C’s in DeKalb
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
Cortland Town Trustee
City:
Cortland
Campaign Website:
Education:
Bachelor’s in arts in English from NIU
Community Involvement:
As an early childhood provider, I worked with many members of the community to help secure services for families. Part of quality care for children is to make sure their family’s needs are being met. It took extra dedication to make sure this happened. While formerly not a member of these groups, I worked with many organizations while advocating for the families in our care. Formally, I have been a member of the DeKalb County Democrats. While some people may discount this work, being civically minded and working towards political education is important for the community and something I wanted my son to learn. As a member, I worked on voter education and voter registration and worked as a ballot judge. I believe very much in protecting people’s rights to vote.
Marital Status/Immediate Family:
Married with one 23-year-old son
Why are you running for office?
I am running for State Representative because I am disturbed by how divided we are as a state and a country, We can not solve any issues by continually pointing out the other party as being “evil.” We must do better than that. Voters become disenfranchised when they do not feel heard. I want to protect our currently threatened rights and make a real difference in the place I call home.
Will you honor the results of the November election, including the presidential race?
I can not imagine I would not.
How would you assess the SAFE-T Act? Are there any changes/adjustments that you would like to see made?
After a year, the SAFE-T Act is doing what it was planned to do. With the Pretrial Fairness Act, people who pose a risk to the community are not released, and people are not being detained because they can not afford to get out. That being said, they might need to adjust the list of detainable offenses to give the judges more latitude. People being released because they can afford bonds and detained because they can not afford it hardly seems constitutional. I am sure there will be things we find in the SAFE-T Act that will need to be adjusted as time will tell. A change I would like to see made now is protection for juveniles. When questioned, police should not be allowed to lie to them or give them false information. Having parents and attorneys present when children are questioned should be a right for anyone under the age of 18.
What policies would you support to ease the burden on Illinois taxpayers? Please be specific
We know taxes are high in Illinois and that citizens are tired of them. It is easy to answer that cuts need to be made and unfunded mandates should never happen, but what cuts can be made without affecting services and the lives of our citizens? I never hear that answer. Too often, I will see legislators who want a task force to decide where to make cuts, but then we have another unfunded mandate. Legislators in each department should be looking into where cutting can be made. Increasing revenue is also a good suggestion. Raising taxes is not an option, but bringing jobs to Illinois to reduce unemployment and increase revenue is the optimal option.
The Chicago area has been a destination for migrants, often with no housing options when they get here. What would you do in Springfield to help migrants when they appear, and to help local communities prepare when groups show up unannounced?
Currently, there has only been one Texas-funded bus reported in Illinois in 2024, and none to Chicago at all, This bus carried legal, documented immigrants duped into leaving Texas by its Governor as a publicity stunt. Illinois should still have a plan in place to be prepared if the situation changes and buses return. If a surprise bus return funded by the Texas government appears, we need to think about humanity first and make sure their basic needs are met, such as food, clothing, and shelter. If Texas refuses to work with us and let us know the buses are coming, the state will need to take serious legal action against the bus drivers and their employers. A surprise drop off of migrants in Peoria who are not dressed for winter, with anywhere to go, and then tell them they are in Chicago is unconscionable. Peoria should not be treated that way, and the people on that bus should not be treated that way. Gathering information on the immigrants needs to be done efficiently so that we know who they are and where they are in their status to seek asylum. We need a system in place to grant work permits at a much quicker pace. People come to work, they want to work, and they need to work to become independent. Currently, we have industries that still need employees. The state also needs to look to the federal government for assistance. Border crossings are a national issue, not just a state issue. Hopefully, immigration issues will be solved at the border, and the bus publicity stunt will be over.
What programs are you in favor of that could make home-buying more affordable for first-time homebuyers?
I do support the programs offered to first time home buyers through IHDA Access Mortgage programs.
The last census showed that Illinois is losing population, and that rural areas are were hit harder than urban areas. Is that a cause for concern and, if so, what can you do from Springfield to ensure rural communities don’t disappear?
It is definitely a cause for concern since rural areas are typically where our farming communities live. We must make sure we do things to promote our family farms. Quality education and education for family farming would help maintain a rural population. Equity in school funding is still an issue for rural areas. Wages need to match the cost of living in rural areas. Job creation for the non-farming community is also needed. Access to quality healthcare is a crucial issue for rural communities. If people do not have access to care they will either move or they will not seek the care the need. Not seeking care will escalate medical problems causing a plethora of problems for families and for the communities. Escalated health problems can also cause higher costs for treatments and insurance.
Should Illinois impose a state parks fee that is earmarked for maintenance of those facilities? If so, how should it be implemented?
At this point, there should not be a state park fee. At some point, there is a possibility we might need one.
With hospitals closing and/or downsizing in northern Illinois, what can be done to ensure rural residents have access to quality health care?
Currently, two bills have been signed and are being implemented in rural Illinois. One law has allowed for multiple healthcare locations under one license and a loan repayment program for people working in healthcare in counties of under 125,000 people. Hopefully, these initiatives will lead the way to more rural healthcare, especially ob/gyn clinics. When women have access to quality pre-natal healthcare, it increases healthy pregnancies, and women need access to regular mammograms and Pap smears. Increased access to telehealth in rural areas is important as well. Telehealth in rural communities can also be used to get better access to mental health care in rural communities.
Do you support Karina’s Bill, which aims to strengthen enforcement of the removal of firearms from those with orders of protection against them? More broadly, are Illinois laws too strict – or not strict enough – when it comes to gun rights and gun control and what changes would you advocate for?
I do support Karina’s Bill. I hope that they can get that back on the floor of the house. I know that some people are still advocating for the reversal of the semi-automatic gun ban, but that is not something I would support. I do not advocate for gun control, but I do want sensible gun legislation.
Should Metra, Pace and the CTA be combined into one agency? What should be done to address the fiscal cliff facing the public transit agencies?
The Metra, Pace and the CTA should not be combined. Currently, the governor has spoken out that Dorval Carver should resign from the CTA. Digging deep into the causes of a fiscal cliff needs to be looked at to prevent that cliff.
In your capacity as a private citizen, have you or any business entity in which you have a ownership stake received a federal PPP loan? If so, what was the amount and is it repaid, forgiven or still outstanding?
No, I have not received a PPP loan.
Have you ever been convicted of or charged with a crime?
No, I have not been charged or convicted of any crime.