Rep. Sibilia: Ending the stalemate

November 13, 2024  |  By Rep. Laura Sibilia

In October, I announced my campaign to be Vermont’s next Speaker of the House. Now, after an election that eliminated the House supermajority, I want to acknowledge the challenges we face, share why I’m stepping forward and outline my vision for how the legislature can shift priorities and address Vermonters’ most urgent needs.

Affordability is a big worry for most Vermonters right now. Inflation, housing costs, rising insurance premiums, and property taxes have become unsustainable. Our education and healthcare systems are severely strained and need both stabilization and reform. These challenges are compounded by climate adaptation, emerging from COVID-19, shifting demographics, and an increasingly globalized economy. Vermonters deserve responsive leadership. With voters clearly demanding meaningful progress, I’m running for speaker to break the current gridlock and set an agenda that delivers on Vermonters’ needs.

Growing up as the eldest of 12 children in rural poverty, I'm hardwired to solve problems. I took on responsibilities early—supporting my younger siblings, standing by my brothers through their military service, and helping my mother keep our family on track. I raised my own daughters while balancing multiple jobs, later meeting my husband and growing our family. Stepping into an executive role at the Chamber of Commerce, I led a revitalization effort that increased revenue, membership, and staff. These experiences challenged me to the core, pushing me to seek support when needed, persevere, and work hard alongside anyone who is committed to making things better.

My life has taught me that problem-solving isn’t just about having the right answers—it’s about having the right mindset. Progress requires focus, discomfort and persistence, along with creating space for others to engage and bring forward solutions. Positive change is possible through focused hard work and intentional collaboration.

Currently, leadership has reached a political standstill. While the governor’s focus on affordability is important, his administration’s cautious approach has left some of our biggest challenges unaddressed. Current House leaders, on the other hand, have been hesitant on complex issues, waiting for the political winds to change instead of working with all of the public officials Vermonters have elected to solve the problems Vermonters need solved. The Republican gains in the House that we saw on Election Day show that Vermonters are calling for the same kind of change I sought when I launched this campaign in October: leadership that prioritizes progress on our priorities over partisanship.

My work in and out of the legislature has always focused on real, tangible issues. From support for deployed military families and responding to natural disasters to expanding broadband internet access and advancing climate change adaptation, I’ve worked closely with former House leaders and the governor to help develop statewide strategy and build broad consensus. As co-leader of the tri-partisan Rural Caucus and an independent, I’ve championed policies that transcend party lines and have paid off for Vermonters. 

As speaker, I’ll bring these different perspectives to the table and work directly with the governor and all members of the House to focus on practical solutions to pressing problems. I’ll push for substantive progress on affordability, housing, healthcare, and education. This includes identifying multiple options for property tax relief and for initiatives that can help stabilize the healthcare and public education systems. My goal is to break the stalemate, set a clear direction, and work with anyone and everyone who is ready to make progress bringing Vermont forward. 

As speaker, I’ll ensure that our House committees are structured to be laser-focused on impactful, strategic policy that delivers real results for our communities. Each committee must have clear, achievable priorities and committee leaders that are equipped with sufficient resources and technical capacity. I’ll ask each committee to deepen their knowledge of their administrative counterparts in the first year of the biennium and to conduct their Constitutional role of providing oversight of the significant federal investments that are flowing into our state through the administrative branch, ensuring that these funds are used effectively and reach those they’re meant to support. I’ll work to build committees that are not just reactive, but proactive. 

As speaker, I’ll work with legislators from all backgrounds, from newly elected members to long-standing representatives, to build a legislative agenda rooted in what Vermonters have clearly asked for. We need a House that collaborates across parties, producing fewer but more meaningful bills to serve our communities. 

This election underscores the need for a new approach across party lines. Our public institutions need strong leadership. I’m seeking my newly elected and re-elected colleagues’ support for Speaker of the House this January because I’m prepared to lead the House in a new direction—collaborative, focused, and transparent—to ensure Vermont is moving toward a more affordable, sustainable, and prepared future.

State Rep. Laura H. Sibilia, I-Dover, represents Dover, Readsboro, Searsburg, Somerset, Stamford, Wardsboro and Whitingham in the Windham-2 House district. She just won election to her sixth term in the legislature where she has served as vice chair of the House Environment and Energy Committee, a member of the Joint IT Oversight Committee and the House Ethics Panel, and as co-chair of the House Rural Economic Development Working Group.