Biography
Gayle Pezzo moved to Vermont to be close to her Daughter and Grandson and enjoys the lavish mountain views of Vermont. Gayle’s experience is largely shaped by her background as a mental health and substance abuse counselor and clinical director in a medically managed intensive care outpatient substance abuse treatment facility. Gayle’s background in mental health and substance abuse disorder provides a unique and informed understanding to address the potential solutions for the SUD crisis in Vermont as well as the ability to approach hard conversations and situations from a position of empathy, understanding & respect.
Gayle is a current elected volunteer board member and president of her resident-owned mobile home community of about 500 residents. She was a small business owner of a Pet store and continues to have a home-based business selling Parrot supplies. Gayle is honest, ethical, reliable, and trustworthy. Her interest is to take part in the decision-making to help bolster Vermont as an affordable, safe, desirable, and equitable place to live. If elected that is her mission.
Candidate occupation
Retired
Why are you running for office?
For many many years, I have lived by a motto repeatedly reflecting that when I put a plan into motion or have expectations of others to carry out a plan and it doesn’t come to fruition that “I am only responsible for the effort and not the outcome” My thoughts were that I’ve done my part to the best of my ability and that I have no control of what the end results will be. However, in the past 2 years, I have reconsidered that belief and have realized that I can be a part of an outcome. If I am elected I will have that opportunity, privilege as well as a stronger voice to make that happen.
Issues in brief
Do you believe Vermonters are better off now than they were 10 years ago?
Yes
Do you believe Vermont needs a new education funding formula?
Yes
Do you support imposing new taxes on the wealthiest Vermonters?
Yes
Do you support the establishment of overdose prevention centers?
No answer
Do you support a ban on flavored tobacco products?
No answer
Do you support increasing penalties for property crimes such as shoplifting?
Yes
Do you believe Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election?
Yes
Issues in depth
What would you do to help grow Vermont’s economy?
No answer
What changes, if any, would you make to the way Vermont funds its schools?
No answer
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to address climate change? Please explain.
No answer
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to regulate gun ownership? Please explain.
Not enough. There needs to be stronger regulations & laws for background checks to include mental health and SUD issues. Reasonable amendment to the Hippa laws for access to the information for those that have access or involvement with firearms. Regulations and registration are carefully vetted. I don’t want to take guns away from the people. I just want there to be reasonable and responsible means in which to own them.
What would you do to help ease Vermont’s housing crisis?
There is undeveloped land that could easily be allocated for affordable housing, low-income housing, and reasonably priced stick-built homes which would attract the plethora of VT students that would love to stay in Vermont but can’t, and attract individuals from other states. With so much vacant land this would not impose on the rural nature or affect the beauty of this state.
How would you address rising homelessness in Vermont?
Like any other state that suffers from this problem, a better system needs to be developed to assess the needs and reason for the individual circumstance, Is it Mental health, Substance Abuse, Cognitive or physical inabilities, etc that are attributed to the reason for the homelessness? Address the underlying issue and assist with getting them the help needed so that they have the opportunity to enter society and contribute as a productive member. The old proverb ” Give a man a fish and he won’t hunger for a day, teach him how to fish and he will not hunger for a lifetime” (paraphrased)
What would you do to increase access to health care services for Vermonters?
Explore the reality of all the other Countries that have Universal Health Care for All. Examine the pros and cons and the cost and benefits to our State.
Financial disclosure
Candidates for state and legislative offices are required to submit a financial disclosure when filing to run. These disclosures include each source, but not the amount, of personal income of each candidate, and of their spouse or domestic partner, that singly or jointly totals more than $5,000 for the previous 12 months. The information provided is an opportunity for voters to learn about candidates’ potential conflicts of interest.
You can find Pezzo’s financial disclosure here.
Disclaimer
We emailed a questionnaire to every candidate with a valid email address. The responses provided by candidates are in their own words. VTDigger has not edited or fact-checked information provided.
If this is your candidacy and you’d like to fill out the questionnaire or report an error, please contact us at voterguide@vtdigger.org.
