My name is Gayle Pezzo, and I am running for State Representative in Colchester, Chittenden-20 district. Ten years ago, my daughter and her husband purchased their home in Vermont. Two years later, I followed, moving to Colchester to be closer to them and to my grandson Liam. It is safe to say that I fell in love with the town the minute I arrived.

 

Family has always been important to me. Being the middle child of five, I learned at an early age the importance of speaking up when something matters. I also learned a calm assertive voice and cooperation is fundamental when negotiating with one’s siblings.

 

In the 1980’s I put myself through college, starting out in nursing and sociology and ending up with a degree in mental health and substance abuse. As a single mother, it was a difficult task to balance work, raising a child, and continuing education. It is during that time in my life that I came to understand the value of programs that assist individuals in improving their situation. My ability to attend college was possible because of a government subsidy of Section 8 housing and a school aftercare program for my daughter while I worked and attended school.

 

With these supports that allowed me to further my education, I went on to work for decades in the mental health and substance use field, including as an operator for a crisis line, managing an internship program for future counselors, and as a clinical director in a medically managed intensive care outpatient substance abuse treatment facility.

 

Although I did not know it, my path towards politics began six years ago when the mobile home community I live in was put up for sale. I jumped in to work with neighbors to purchase our community as residents. Thanks to a Vermont law that gives mobile home park residents the right to organize and explore the option to purchase their community when it goes up for sale, 250 families were able to work together to stay in their homes and have created 250 permanently-affordable homes in Colchester. Since then, I have served my community as an elected board member and as an advocate for the 500 residents there.

 

Through this experience, I began to see the larger picture: how does a community like mine fit into our town, and into our state? The search for these answers has brought me in touch with different members of government at all levels from the smallest of villages to staff in the offices of our US legislators. It has led to an appointment by then-House Speaker Rebecca Balint to the Environmental Justice Council and to working with our own Representative Curt Taylor on his Mobile Home Taskforce, as a voice at the table to shape legislative priorities for Vermont’s mobile home communities. 

 

Two years ago while working on a project to address municipal services for our resident-owned community, I recognized that some folks with valuable opinions and skills were reluctant to speak up and get involved, believing their needs were considered insignificant and to do so might result in retribution. I believe that to have a healthy democracy people need to participate and for people to participate, they need to be heard and feel safe doing so. I have always believed that we are responsible for the effort, and not the outcome. But how can we see the value in our efforts if we do not think of ourselves as welcome at the table, or as being able to have an actual impact? 

 

Vermont is facing tough challenges. We need to make sure folks have the tools they need to be productive members of our community and we need to make fiscally responsible decisions on what and how we can do that efficiently and effectively. As an outsider to the day-to-day interactions of Montpelier, I know that I do not have all of the answers. However, I will bring enthusiasm for listening, sharing, and consensus building. When we all come to the table, I know that we can make progress towards a more equitable Vermont: 

 

• We must find practical, viable solutions for the creation of affordable, dignified housing

• Affordable, universal healthcare 

• Find joint solutions for substance abuse and mental health challenges

• Explore the different ways we keep our communities healthy and safe and find more cost-efficient models for helping citizens be productive members of our communities

• Equality in educational opportunities is a must. A bi-partisan effort was made with the passage of Act 127. We need to work together to find the correct funding mechanism for this effort.

 

Vermont is a small state. That has been an asset in our ability to continue to communicate and empathize with each other. As our climate changes, we need to change rules, policies, and laws if we want Vermont to remain a place with opportunities for its residents. While doing that, we also must be sensitive to those who have the least ability and fewest resources to make those changes.

 

If I am elected, I will bring to the table the willingness to work hard to find solutions, a desire to listen to all stakeholders, and the belief that the strongest team is the one that values everyone’s ideas and opinions.