I’m Julie Filiberti, and I'm running to represent
Franklin-1 for the citizens of Fairfax and Georgia.

As we know, Vermont is a wonderfully welcoming and caring place to live, and has long been recognized as a leader in inclusivity, quality of life, and environmental stewardship. When my husband and I made the choice to relocate to Vermont 30 years ago, it was an easy one. We quickly fell in love with its quiet, wholesome character and knew it was the perfect place to raise our daughters. We never regretted our decision, because Vermont, and Fairfax in particular, was everything we hoped for in a place to raise a family. Once we arrived, I jumped right into community life, eager to be part of Vermont's tradition of giving back.

My almost 30 years in Vermont have been defined by community involvement. Much of that time has been spent supporting and empowering young people, whether as a Girl Scout leader, playgroup leader, PTSA president, ELF/Four Winds coordinator, or drama director. I've always believed that one of the best ways to strengthen a community is by uplifting its children. That same commitment extends to Vermont's natural world. As a board member of the Friends of Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, a Vermont Master Naturalist, and a perennial Green-Up Day trash collector, I've worked to protect and advocate for the wild places and living things that cannot speak for themselves. I've also sought to build connections within our community. As a Justice of the Peace, a coordinator of monthly community potlucks, and a regular participant in local advocacy efforts, I've worked to create opportunities for people to come together, share ideas, and support causes that matter to them. I firmly believe that meaningful change begins at the local level, and I strive to make space for community members to connect and collaborate to move forward together.

I've enjoyed every minute of living in Vermont. However, right now, I believe our brave little state mirrors much of the country -- it's broken. I've been here long enough to witness challenges that have strained our community and created divisions where there was once greater unity. The dwindling of our family farms, our retired seniors unable to handle the rising taxes and needing to go back to work, parents working multiple jobs just to afford daycare, the degradation of our infrastructure, the need for some to choose between healthcare and food, our rural communities being left behind, and our young adult children being forced to live elsewhere, away from us, to earn a living wage.

I don't promise to have all the answers, but I promise to listen. A lifetime spent listening for birds has made me  good at noticing what others might miss. And I pledge to use our collective knowledge and ideas to make decisions that will strengthen our rural communities and allow Vermont to once again be a great place for coming generations to raise their families. 

Somewhere along the line, we've likely crossed paths. Perhaps we've interacted through my 18 years of working with your kids at BFA Fairfax, or maybe I've met you with a smile in the greenhouse through my dozen years of working at River Berry Farm. Maybe we've chatted briefly at the polls. 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.

If we haven’t met yet, I hope we will soon. I’d love to hear what matters most to you.

My Beliefs

Universal

  • I believe in our democracy and the power of the people to create change, and I am concerned that our system is drifting away from being fully representative. We must ensure every voice is heard and that elections remain truly free and fair. 

    I believe free and fair elections require voting to be accessible, easy to participate in, and designed to encourage broad civic engagement, and I believe corporate money should not have undue influence over our elections. In rural communities like Fairfax and Georgia, distance from town centers can make it difficult for residents to reach polling places, highlighting the need to support and retain accessible ways to participate in elections.

  • I believe that every human being has unalienable rights and deserves to be treated with dignity under the law. Our immigration system should be fair and consistent, upholding due process while ensuring that policies are enforced in a way that is both humane and responsible.

  • I believe in science and in the overwhelming evidence showing that our climate is changing due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases from the use of fossil fuels. Climate change is one of the primary issues facing our generation and poses a serious threat to the health and prosperity of our communities, our children, and future generations. This is not an issue we can afford to ignore or delay. Its impacts are already being felt around the world and here at home in Vermont, from the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Irene to the catastrophic flooding in 2023 and 2024. These events endangered lives, damaged critical infrastructure, and placed a significant economic burden on communities across the state, especially in rural areas. We have a responsibility to meet this challenge head-on for the health of our natural communities and the health of our neighbors.

    I believe in taking care of our natural world because we are part of its web of life and our survival depends on its health. We can do this by supporting wildlife refuges, protecting and expanding conservation lands, working to restore critical habitats, and ensuring that the health of our ecosystems has a voice in decision making.

  • I believe those with wealth should pay their fair share so that working families in Vermont are not left behind. Fair tax policy helps ensure we can invest in affordable housing, strong schools, infrastructure, and the local services that keep our communities thriving.

    I believe Vermont’s economy and democracy should prioritize people and local communities over powerful corporate interests. That means supporting small businesses, protecting workers, and ensuring that policy decisions are made in the interest of Vermonters, not outside corporate influence.

  • I believe the diversity of our people is what makes our country strong, and no one should be vilified or discriminated against because of the color of their skin, how they present themselves, the religion they practice, the language they speak, or the person they choose to love. I am proud to be a Vermonter because we have historically shown up for all of our neighbors, and I want to see that commitment continue through stronger protections, greater inclusion, and equal respect for all.

State & Local

  • 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 that mental health care should be supported, celebrated, and available when people need it, not delayed by long wait times. In rural communities, where providers are already limited and distances are greater, these delays can become a serious barrier to care. We need to expand access to services, support more local providers, and strengthen crisis and preventative care systems so people can get help sooner.

  • I believe all Vermonters should have their basic needs met, and that no one should be without safe, stable, and affordable housing. We must prioritize policies that increase housing availability and offer support to those who are struggling to afford or maintain housing.

  • 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. In Vermont, where the cost of housing, childcare, and everyday necessities continues to rise, wages should reflect the reality of what it takes to live and work here. We need more people in state government advocating for the realities of what working class families go through just to afford to live in our beautiful state.

  • 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.

“Hope is often misunderstood. People tend to think that it is simply passive wishful thinking: I hope something will happen but I’m not going to do anything about it. This is indeed the opposite of real hope, which requires action and engagement.”

— JANE GOODALL