Julie Filiberti

Julie Filiberti earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1984. She is retired.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a retired BFA-Fairfax paraeducator with a green thumb who loves birds and living in Vermont. Running to represent Fairfax and Georgia at the Statehouse was never, ever part of my retirement plan, but unfortunately, these are troublesome times and even the best retirement plans must evolve.

Thirty years ago , my husband and I made a conscious choice to relocate to Vermont. We had just designed and built our home on his family’s farm in the Hudson Valley when the job opportunity to relocate to Vermont arose. We sat down and weighed the pros and cons and ultimately sold our brand-new home, packed up our belongings, left my husband’s family that loved us and our girls, and came to Fairfax. We quickly fell in love with Fairfax’s quiet, wholesome character and friendly helpful neighbors. It was everything we had hoped for in a place to raise our daughters, and not once in 30 years have we ever regretted our decision to make the move. Our kids grew up with great friends, spent time hiking and camping, learned to ski, rode bikes, played sports, and complained about the farm fresh air. To top it off, they loved school and got a great education. We felt fortunate.

If you've met me, you know that I'm not a politician. I'm simply a community member who pays attention, fights for voices that don't have the platform to be loud, and wants the best for our children. My best ideas on how to move forward will come from you.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I believe that healthcare is a human right and support efforts to move toward a universal single payer healthcare system that ensures coverage for all. I have heard too many stressful stories, and experienced some myself, of Vermonters struggling to access basic care. This includes being placed on numerous waitlists to secure a primary care provider, facing long delays for time-sensitive lab work, or being unable to get dental care because their job did not provide insurance. Reducing administrative complexity and profit driven costs can help make healthcare more affordable and accessible for everyone.I believe, and have seen firsthand, that our school systems are filled with caring teachers who want every student to learn, succeed, and flourish. I have also seen teachers and staff often forced to pay out of pocket to meet basic classroom needs. I believe we must do a better job ensuring our schools are fully supported through the tax and budget process so they have the resources they need. Investment in our children should be a top priority, and local communities should have a voice in the education of their children.I believe in creating and investing in a strong local small business economy in Vermont to create good jobs and keep our money circulating in our communities. Throughout my years in Vermont I have watched as our neighborhood dairy farms have shut down, our local diners have been removed from communities after being unable to pay rent, and our general stores have been replaced with larger corporate retailers. I want to see stronger support for small businesses, family farms, and rural communities so that Vermont’s local economy can thrive for generations to come.

I believe in a livable minimum wage so that people do not have to work multiple jobs just to afford basic needs and a stable life.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I'm interested in bringing Vermont back from the brink. Our economy is failing, our taxes are too high, there is not enough housing, our healthcare expenses are the highest in the nation, and our young people are moving out and making a life elsewhere because they can't afford to live in our state. There is much to fix, but I am passionate about solving our healthcare crisis and will push to implement publicly financed universal primary care. I am also passionate about our children. We need to find solutions to funding our public education system so that we may give our kids the best education possible without paying exorbitant property taxes.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

VPIRG Votes

Vermont Conservation Voters

Planned Parenthood Vermont Action Fund IE PAC