Good evening,

Over the past four years, I have provided a consistent voice for our district, our businesses, towns, taxpayers and our schools, our students and the need to reform our education finance system.  My work on telecommunications is linked to several internet and cell expansions in our district. As an independent I have consistently worked to find common ground to solve problems, worked for the public interest as opposed to special interests and maintained a local perspective on legislation under consideration. My focus has been on our district and on Vermonters – not on national partisan priorities. I am both a fierce advocate for our district and a proponent of collaborative solution development with other pragmatic independents, Democrats, Republicans and Progressives in the House.

Since having been re-elected in 2016, I have been honored to have been asked to serve a role on Governor Scott’s transition committee, and to have been appointed by the Speaker of the House to the House Ethics Panel, the Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Action Panel and to a newly created Energy and Technology Committee in the House. I’ve sponsored and led passage on several key legislative initiatives including Net Neutrality protections, passage and funding for the student Weighting Study (twice), and emergency action to to ensure no loss of cell service at Grace Cottage Hospital.  Due to the rural nature of the towns in our district, I have helped to lead the House’s Rural Economic Development working group; bipartisan legislators representing smaller towns and regions who collectively work to elevate the voice of rural Vermont on economic issues such as connectivity, forestry, infrastructure and agriculture.

While it is impossible to be able to agree with each one of you on every issue, it is possible to help you understand what is happening, how it may impact you, and what additional steps you can take to weigh in.  It is truly an honor and a privilege to represent and connect you to our state government.  The decision to leave my husband and teenage son, my job and colleagues, and my friends and family requires careful consideration. Having spent significant time reflecting on the costs associated with running, as well as what we have achieved for our district and whether or not I believe I am still able to be an effective voice for our towns, I am enthusiastically announcing that I will run for re-election in 2018 to the Windham-Bennington House seat to represent the voters, taxpayers, businesses and students of Dover, Readsboro, Searsburg, Somerset, Stamford, Wardsboro and Whitingham.

Over the course of the Summer and Fall I look forward to being out in our towns, at local events and hope to hear from you on the issues most important to you, your family and your business. I will be seeking both your support and your guidance, and as in past campaigns, I will not accept PAC funding . Follow, engage and support my campaign at  www.laurasibiliavt.com as well as on social media.

This weekend I will be out (with petitions) in the district at the Wardsboro Plant Sale Tomorrow Saturday May 26th from 9-1, and on Monday in Readsboro at the Pancake Breakfast at the E.J. Bullock Building from 8-12:30.

On Memorial Day morning, Monday May 28th, there is a Memorial Day Service at the Jacksonville Cemetery Monday at 9 which I will attend. In addition to honoring our departed service-members, please also have a thought for our living veterans on this day as many of them have lost multiple members of their military families.