My name is Gayle Pezzo, and I represent the Colchester, Chittenden-20 district in the VT House of Representatives. Twelve 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, which has carried over into my work life.

 

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 an affordable 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 literacy and suicide 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 seven years ago when the manufactured housing community I live in was put up for sale. I jumped in to work with neighbors to collectively purchase our community. Thanks to Vermont law that gives manufactured housing community residents the right of first refusal, we organized and explored the option of purchasing our community when it went 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 who reside 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 into contact with different members of government at all levels, from the smallest villages to the offices of our US legislators. It has led to an appointment by our current Rebecca Balint to the Environmental Justice Council and to working with our former 20 District 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 that doing 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 having 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 about what we can do and how we can do it efficiently and effectively.
 

As an insider of the day-to-day interactions of Montpelier, I know that I do not have all of the answers. However, I will continue to bring the voices of my constituents to the table by 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, sustainable 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 bipartisan effort culminated in the passage of Act 127 (2025) and H.955 (2026) regarding the next steps in the transformation of Vermont’s education system, demonstrating that when legislators work together, find common ground, and are willing to compromise, we can continue to create meaningful, productive solutions.
   

Vermont's small size has long been one of its greatest strengths, allowing us to communicate, collaborate, and understand one another's challenges. But without increasing our supply of affordable housing to support population growth, we cannot expand our workforce, grow our economy, or increase tax revenue. Budget cuts alone will not solve these challenges. We must make thoughtful, balanced decisions that protect those with the fewest resources and least ability to absorb change. That has always been the Vermont way. When we fail to do so, we often place even greater demands on public services, ultimately increasing costs for taxpayers.
 

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.