DOVER — One of Windham County’s two independents will be asking her colleagues to select her as the next speaker of Vermont’s House of Representatives.
“I believe it’s time for an approach that prioritizes nonpartisan problem-solving and open communication,” wrote Laura Sibilia, who represents her hometown of Dover, as well as Jamaica, Wardsboro, Stratton and Somerset that make up the Windham 2 district. “We need to focus on the urgent issues facing Vermonters, such as education and healthcare, while ensuring that all members of the Legislature have the resources and support they need to participate meaningfully in this process.”
Sibilia has been a state representative since 2014 and vice chairwoman of the House Environment and Energy Committee, member of the Joint IT Oversight Committee and House Ethics Panel, and co-chairwoman of the House Rural Economic Development Working Group.
She is also a founder and co-chairwoman of the Vermont National Guard and Veterans Affairs Caucus and was co-chairwoman of the Leadership Advisory Council on Gov. Phil Scott’s transition team in 2016.
Sibilia wrote that she had notified her fellow representatives of her intention to challenge Jill Krowinski, of Burlington, for the speakership.
“The challenges our state faces — particularly regarding affordability, housing and the urgent need for adaptation in our economy and communities — demand effective leadership and collaboration,” wrote Sibilia in an announcement released Tuesday.
Despite the supermajority of the Democratic Party in the Legislature, she wrote, “significant work remains undone, and many voices are not being fully heard.”
“This past session has highlighted a deteriorating relationship between the Legislature and the Governor, ongoing leadership changes, and grave concerns about the sustainability of our public education system, healthcare, and our communities’ ability to adapt to the times as we emerge from COVID,” wrote Sibilia in a letter to her colleagues also published Tuesday.
Sibilia wrote she has always emphasized the need for improved communication, collaboration, and nonpartisan problem-solving, principles that have historically defined Vermont.
“While the Governor shares some responsibility for the current climate, we must hold ourselves accountable as legislators and improve our communication with all members, branches of government, and, most importantly, Vermonters,” she wrote in her letter to fellow legislators. “Vermont and our public institutions cannot afford an extended political stalemate.”
As speaker, she wrote, she will provide committees with the resources and support needed to tackle critical challenges head-on, she would lead discussions on key issues and set the agenda for legislative session that ensure “all voices are heard … By fostering collaboration among among legislators, I can help create bipartisan solutions that directly benefit Vermont’s communities.”
“As an Independent, I have a long history of bringing people together to collaborate on finding solutions,” she wrote. “I take this decision seriously and am fully committed to being prepared to do the necessary work from day one.”
