State Representative Gail Lavielle (R-Wilton) will not be seeking re-election to the state House, where she represents the 143rd district, which includes parts of Wilton, Norwalk, and Westport. Now serving her fifth term, she is Assistant Minority Leader and House Ranking Member of the legislature’s largest committee, Appropriations.
“At the end of this term, I will have served my constituents and the state of Connecticut in the legislature for a decade,” said Lavielle. “The privilege of serving is a great honor that I will always deeply appreciate. I thank my constituents for allowing me to contribute to our state through public service and for entrusting me with matters that are important to them and to their friends and families and will continue to be so for years to come.”
Lavielle confirmed to GOOD Morning Wilton that she will not be seeking any other elected office.
Lavielle was first elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in November 2010, following a 26-year career as a senior executive with major corporations in both France and the United States. Several years after moving to Wilton from Paris in 2002, she served on the Wilton Board of Finance and Energy Commission.
In her five terms in the legislature, she has focused much of her attention on economic and budgetary issues, education, transportation, government transparency, individual freedom of choice, and issues of local control. Before her appointment as Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee, she served as Ranking Member of the Education Committee for four years and, previously, the Commerce Committee.
A Republican, Lavielle has advocated for reduced government spending, lower taxes for people and businesses, municipal and education mandate relief, and limiting the power of state government to preempt municipal decisions, while at the same time firmly maintaining a centrist, moderate stance on social issues, consistent with the views of many in the towns she represents.
Lavielle has received multiple awards and recognitions for her work supporting environmental issues, educational funding and initiatives, and services for people with intellectual disabilities. Most recently, she was recognized by the CT Council of Small Towns (COST) for her leadership role in stopping legislation mandating regionalization of Connecticut’s public schools.
UPDATE: Wilton’s First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice commented on GMW’s announcement on Facebook: “Big loss for Wilton. Gail has been an invaluable resource to me as First Selectwoman. She leaves a void. Thank you, Gail Lavielle.”
This is quite literally a tragedy for the state of Connecticut. Gail was the best informed, hardest working and best communicating representative I have known. Connecticut will be much worse off once she retires.
I completely agree with your sentiments!
Hi — Even though we have lived in Ridgefield for the past eight years, we have continued to receive your messages. Sorry to read your message, but fully understand that it’s time to go. All best wishes. You’ve been great.
This is sad news. Thank you Gail for everything you did last year to help Wilton fight the school regionalization bills. My hope is that our next representative will be as diligent.
We wish you the very best of everything and for you and your family to come through this
pandemic safely.
Thank you for your outstanding service.
Gail – I hope your days of service do not end when you complete your final term in the legislature. As you well know – there are many ways to serve and contribute.
A terrible loss for Wilton and for other towns like ours that are slowly losing their independence to Hartford and the special interests that covet our tax dollars. Gail always defended us in the shark tank and she deserves our gratitude.Hopefully, we’ll find another tireless advocate like Gail who sees the 143rd district as a constituency of self-reliant neighbors rather than as a stepping stone to higher office or a lifelong political career.
Gail,
Wish you all the best! You have been outstanding, thank you!
This is a tragic loss for the State of Connecticut. Her leadership, level head, common sense, proactivity, attention to detail, and involvement in our communities has been invaluable and will be sorely missed. Honestly, she’s the only politician I’ve ever liked and enjoyed speaking with. We need more people like her in our government, but I’m afraid politicians of her caliber are far and few between. Thank you Gail for your incredible service. Enjoy your much deserved retirement.
Gail fought hard for our interests and those of all the people of Connecticut. She really, really understood the numbers, too. On the one hand, she’s put in her time and richly deserves a break. On the other, I want to attach her to elected office with the tenacity of a barnacle clinging to a piling, desperate not to lose her intelligence, advocacy and perspective in Hartford. We not only lose a talented legislator, but a member of important committees and the ranking member on appropriations, which is a big deal. I don’t expect that anyone can fill her shoes, but I hope with all my heart we can elect a successor who at least works toward that admirable goal.