Vincent Illuzzi

Illuzzi was first elected to the Senate in 1980 and was re-elected every two years through 2010. [3] [4]

In the Senate, he served as Assistant Minority leader from 1985 to 1988 and Assistant Republican leader from 1991 to 1992 and 1997 to 2005. He served as Republican leader in 2005.[5]

A biographical article "InVinceable, Tactics, 'Tude and Teflon keep Vince Illuzzi in the Senator's Seat," by Paula Routly, in Seven Days in 1999

In 2005, Sen. Illuzzi  was appointed chair of the Senate Economic Development, General Affairs & Housing Committee, and served on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Economic Development Committee was substantially responsible for the Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Act 54 of 2009, or H. 313) the purpose of which was “to promote the economic development of the state and the prosperity of its businesses and citizens. In the near-term . . .  to address the immediate economic crisis facing Vermont.” [6]

Six years later, the Farm to Plate initiative, a part of that Act, appeared "to be doing its job and has noticeably helped bolster Vermont’s farm and food economy" according to a report conducted by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. [7]

Another major bill introduced by the Economic Development Committee was S. 288, the “Jobs Bill,” which became Act 78 of 2010. This law appropriated $8.665 million to build on the work in Act 54 of 2009. It included funding for: the Vermont Economic Development Authority to buy down interest rates on approved projects; the Vermont Telecommunications Authority for rural broadband deployment; the Vermont Employment Training Program to assist with training Vermont workers; marketing tourism in regional markets; assisting Vermont farmers to restructure and refinance debt and other projects. [8]

The Committee also cleaned up the law regarding the sale and ownership of mobile homes, making clear to municipalities, and to the buyers and sellers of mobile homes, their rights and responsibilities. Mobile homes are the only way that many Vermonters can secure affordable housing, but the law never had been comprehensively updated. Act 140 of 2010, or H. 542 [9]

The committee was also charged with finding cost savings and efficiencies in the Unified Economic Development Budget, which includes regional development corporations, regional planning commissions and workforce development programs. To that end, it implemented "Challenges for Change. Act 146 of 2010, or H. 792 [10]

Governor Howard Dean, whose tenure as governor largely tracked Illuzzi's tenure as chair of Senate Institutions, on December 10, 2002, said at the dedication ceremony of the McFarland House that Illuzzi had been particularly sympathetic to the appropriation requests from Washington County. Dean said if you got Illuzzi's answering machine, you were prompted to push one if you want projects for the Northeast Kingdom and two if you want projects for Barre.

Illuzzi was Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, General and Military Affairs from 2005. In that capacity, March 30, 2012, Illuzzi, along with fellow committee members, Senators Peter Galbraith and Bill Doyle, visited Windham County to be accessible to and to hear testimony from local officials, business owners on the effects of the uncertainty surrounding the possible closure of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant and the region’s recovery from Tropical Storm Irene. Numerous individuals testified, likely even more than listed in the official meeting record[11] A video of the hearing is available, courtesy of Brattleboro Community Television.

After serving in the State Senate for 31 years, the Caledonian Record summed up his career by saying: "His ability to work with both sides of the aisle has been praised by moderates who admire his work ethic and his ability to get things done."

In that article, Illuzzi said by way of summary:

"When I entered the political arena as a Republican almost a third of a century ago, I quickly found myself voting as a moderate Vermont Republican. In those early years, I served with independent-thinking individuals like Senators Arthur Gibb, Robert Gannett and George Little. They too were moderate Vermont Republicans.

"I learned from them that Vermont leaders have a responsibility to act in the best interest of all Vermonters regardless of party affiliation." [12]

An example of how Sen. Illuzzi used the legislative appropriation process to champion Vermont values is his inclusion of the following provision in a 1992 Capital Construction Bill:

The Vermont veterans' memorial cemetery. . . shall allow for freedom of choice by the family of a veteran, a veteran's spouse and a veteran's minor child, who will be interred, of an upright or flat memorialization to mark the grave. Preference shall be given to the use of Vermont granite, Vermont slate, and Vermont marble for all memorialization.   Cf:  20 V.S.A. § 1585 [13]

While the national Veterans' Administration preferred to use markers flush to the ground to make it easier to mow the grass and maintain the grounds, Illuzzi recalled his father’s work as a sculptor in the granite industry and knew that markers flush to the ground are not as visually significant and their use would certainly undercut the Barre granite industry and the West Rutland and Proctor marble industry.

After including that requirement as a condition of the appropriation, the US Department of Veterans Affairs reconsidered its national policy and about six months after the Vermont cemetery opened, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on Jan. 19, 1994 authorized the nationwide reintroduction of upright granite headstones.[14] [15]

While Sen. Illuzzi was unable to attend on the day of the dedication of the cemetery,[16] [17] as chair of the Senate Institutions Committee, he designated a member of the committee, Senator Julius Canns of St. Johnsbury, Caledonia County, to appear and speak in his  place. Senator Canns was a World War II veteran who served in the Pacific Theatre as a sergeant in the U. S. Marine Corps and he is now buried at that cemetery.[18]

Sen. Illuzzi led the effort to secure the first state appropriation to save from likely demolition the Socialist Labor Party Hall,  also known as the Old Labor Hall, at 46 Granite Street in Barre.[19] A section of the 1998 Capital Bill provided for the sum of $30,000 to be matched  “when two dollars have been raised from non-state sources, for each dollar appropriated.” The provision specifically stated that “the match from non-state sources may include in-kind contributions,” making the seed money a community endeavor. [20] Later, the building was slated for a foreclosure auction and several Barre residents were concerned it would be torn down.  Illuzzi, as chair of the Senate Institutions Committee (1991-2015), and with support from Washington County Sen. Bill Doyle, a member of that committee, successfully secured a $40,000 appropriation in 2001 to the “Barre Historical Society, Inc., for  restoration and repair of flood damage to Old Labor Hall”,  to stave off the foreclosure and convince the local bank that the Barre Historical Society could raise the necessary funds to pay off the mortgage and restore the building. [21]

The Vermont Granite Museum of Barre, incorporated in 1995, [22] was another project spearheaded by Illuzzi, when he was chair of the Senate Institutions Com

mittee. [23] From 1895  to 1975,  the Jones Brothers Company had operated two granite sheds on North Main Street in Barre. [24] The remaining shed was falling into a state of disrepair.  Washington County Senators Bill Doyle, Matt Krauss and other Washington County legislators approached Illuzzi to help Barre residents secure state funding to preserve the building before it collapsed. In a 2001 Capital Bill, at Illuzzi's recommendation, a $200,000 State appropriation was included as well as a provision encouraging the Cities of Bare and Montpelier and the Towns of Barre and Berlin authorize their own appropriations "for the purpose of contributing to the acquisition, development, and improvement" of the Museum. [25]

From 1993 to 1997, the opera house was closed due to government requirements involving handicapped access and fire safety. After a year of construction, and the addition of sprinklers, an elevator, and a fire escape tower – all respecting the historic character of the building – the opera house was reopened amid much fanfare.[26]

The project to make safety and accessibility improvements required bipartisan in the Vermont legislature as well as international support. The improvements were required by the State of Vermont, and the Province of Quebec through its cultural ministry agreed to pay 40 percent of certain renovations. The Vermont Legislature’s intent was that an appropriation would enable the facility to be reopened and operated, in accordance with the original will of its donor, as a cultural resource benefiting all members of the unique American and Canadian community.[27][28] The renovations themselves entailed bi-national cooperation.[29]

At the behest of the Abenaki Indians, the State of Vermont is planning to buy property in the nearby town of Highgate where an ancient Abenaki burial ground was disturbed 21 years ago, when a house was built on the site. The purchase will allow the remains to be reburied at the site, where they had been undisturbed for dozens of centuries until 1974. [30]

This reparation was made possible under Sen. Illuzzi’s leadership  by the inclusion of a $200,000 appropriation  in a Capital Bill for “purchase of a parcel of land, including buildings and improvements, in Highgate, which is recognized as a significant Native American burial ground dating as far back as circa 885 B.C. to 100 B.C.” [31]

In 2011, Sen. Illuzzi as Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs reported favorably [32] on several bills which became law recognizing  the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation and the Elnu Abenaki tribe as Native American Indian tribes by the state of Vermont. [33] [34]

During the same biennium, he successfully sponsored a bill which legally recognized the Koasek Abenaki as a tribe. [35]

Responding to criticism of his support of these bills, Sen. Illuzzi said at the time that “critics have been unable to explain to him why it would hurt the state to recognize what he described as tribes ‘that have existed here for generations but have been required to go underground because of the eugenics movement and other anti-Indian sentiments of the past. Until they convince me otherwise I'm on board.’” [36]

Illuzzi was also instrumental in using the March 2012 meeting to honor former State Senator Robert Gannett in what would turn out to be his last public appearance.[37] State Representative Sarah Edwards read the Senate Concurrent Resolution honoring Gannett.[38]

In 1992, Illuzzi authored what became a Joint Resolution ordering that the new Addison County courthouse in Middlebury, Vermont be named the Judge Frank Mahady Courthouse.[39]

Illuzzi led the effort to name the courthouse in Chittenden County after Judge Edward Costello, who served as chief trial judge from 1967 to 1980. The resolution is quoted as stating that "...during all of those years, Judge Costello was known as a fair, efficient and impartial judge…" [40]

During his tenure in the Senate, Illuzzi either led or otherwise guided the effort to rename a number of other State facilities, including: the Asa Bloomer State Office Building in Rutland; the Robert H. Wood, Jr. Criminal Justice and Fire Service Training Center of Vermont in Pittsford; the Edgar M. Weed State Fish Hatchery in Grand Isle; the John J. Zampieri State Office Building in Burlington; the Emory A. Hebard State Office Building and the adjacent Warren "Jersey" Drown Parking Facility in Newport.[41]

Illuzzi holds the office of Essex County State's Attorney, to which he was first elected in 1998. He has uniquely been endorsed by and accepted the nomination of all Parties to serve in this office.

He also served on the Governor's Committee on Children and Youth and the Governor's Commission on the Administration of Justice.

In 2007, Illuzzi was mentioned by then State Senator Peter Shumlin (a Democrat) as a potential independent candidate for governor.[42]

In 2012, Illuzzi chose to run for State Auditor, as Republican incumbent Tom Salmon was retiring. Illuzzi had reportedly considered running as an independent. He had some endorsements from labor unions, and had hoped that would make voters not see him as a typical Republican. The Caledonian-Record endorsed his candidacy, saying:

The Republican candidate, Senator Vince Illuzzi of Newport, has served 32 years in the Senate, and also for many years as Essex County state's attorney. A liberal Republican who has been elected on both party tickets, he has earned high marks from both sides for his mastery of the legislative process and his knowledge of the workings of state government.[43]

Iluzzi lost in the general election to Democratic and Progressive candidate Doug Hoffer. He said after the election, "It was a tsunami for Democrats... I can sense that running as a Republican was a real liability."[44]