Blog

The session started on Wednesday with a great deal of ceremony and collegiality. We have almost a third of the legislature coming in with fresh, and it is such a pleasure to see their awe and inspiration and help them find their way.

The session started on Wednesday with a great deal of ceremony and collegiality. We have almost a third of the legislature coming in with fresh, and it is such a pleasure to see their awe and inspiration and help them find their way. I was honored to nominate the Speaker of the House and have her elected with a vote of 149-1 (yes, Vermont is very different from Washington, and I’m deeply grateful for that while trying to not be exceptionalist about it all). Here is an excerpt from my remarks:

Last biennium she was elected under extraordinary circumstances. In the face of unprecedented human upheaval and unprecedented revenues, under Jill’s leadership we passed two constitutional amendments, kept our neighbors safe and housed, and continued essential work for racial, environmental and social justice. She also helped us weather the chaos and upheaval within our own body with dignity and a new degree of public access as we moved successfully into what was for many of us a brand new world of electronics.

There’s a poem by Marge Piercy that I’m sure has been read in this chamber a few times before. “To be of use” It’s a poem that I recite to myself when I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing here or what comes next. I’ve never spoken with Jill about this poem but she lives it– to be of use.

“To strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward, . . . People who do what has to be done, again and again.”

She puts those she serves ahead of herself, ahead of glory.

Being speaker in a citizen legislature is a hard job, and Representative Krowinski works hard at it. She knows that we are people serving people. She treats us like people serving people. Asking after families, knowing that each of our bills are connections to a story of suffering or hope back home.

In what wasn’t a surprise, but is a tremendous honor and responsibility, I was named Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. This means that I set the agenda for our discussions of revenue including taxes and fees, and am responsible (with my incredible colleagues) for raising enough revenue to support the functioning of the State government. This is why I ran for office– because I want a government that works for us and is supported by us.

Frankly it is all a bit of a whirlwind this week as I plan for the next month, get to know new committee members, and identify priorities, but I’m excited and hopeful to carry forward the lessons we learned in the last few difficult years. I’ll share more next week about some tangible strategies and policy proposals we will be working through and encourage you to be in touch.

I’ll hold regular constituent coffee hours during the upcoming session. Some will be held in person, while others will be held remotely on Zoom. On January 8th I will restart weekly office hours via zoom on Sundays at 4pm, you can join here https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82536080142?pwd=UGxDTU93Zk5mZWFadWpCM0IxUGJBUT09, and if you prefer to meet in-person, we’re hosting monthly meetings at the library on the second Saturday of the month at 10:30am with my fellow Brattleboro representatives, Tristan Toleno and Mollie Burke and State Senators, Nader Hashim and Wendy Harrison. I do hope you’ll join us on January 14th (that is this Saturday) at 10:30am to hear about the first week of the session. These meetings are a great way to ask questions, raise concerns and stay informed about legislation.

Beyond these scheduled constituent meetings, it’s easy to connect. I work hard to represent all of you with transparency, integrity and accountability. Please stay in touch and reach out anytime with questions or concerns: I respond to all constituent email ekornheiser@leg.state.vt.us as promptly as possible. You can also follow my work via facebook, twitter, or instagram, and by subscribing to our podcast, The Montpelier Happy Hour https://open.spotify.com/show/5v2Nihkv9tuLhvPu5zgZ53.

I’m also hoping for specific focused advice and support from you as issues come up and I need to learn more about our community’s experience. In order to do this work as well as our community deserves, I need to hear from you. Please click here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXyzUG-WR0QLxndLaOXdGnrh3xr0nLVSdCW590MUWCkTuGvQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0 to fill out a survey about your interests.

In such gratitude to serve this community, Emilie

In the News Vt Digger: Reps. Diane Lanpher, D-Vergennes, and Emilie Kornheiser, D-Brattleboro, will helm the committees that craft Vermont’s most consequential, must-pass legislation, Krowinski announced. Lanpher will chair the House Committee on Appropriations, which helps to draft the state budget, while Kornheiser will chair the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has jurisdiction over tax policy. https://vtdigger.org/2023/01/04/diane-lanpher-and-emilie-kornheiser-to-head-powerful-money-committees-in-a-new-era-of-leadership-in-the-vermont-house/?fbclid=IwAR0YGr_-ps0VgrIkWJqZiWh8ZtjZxZSvNvXajAz9RyaKY121MaH8YHSKHQE

There is a major shakeup this legislative session in Montpelier - WPTZ https://www.mynbc5.com/article/there-are-lots-of-fresh-faces-in-montpelier-this-legislative-session/42421804

And The Montpelier Happy Hour with Olga Peters: Taxes as Infrastructure https://themontpelierhappyhour.captivate.fm/episode/taxes-as-infrastructure.