A New Era of Leadership
The Vermont Progressive Party, widely recognized as the most successful third party in the country and the third major party in Vermont, held its State Convention at the Old Labor Hall in Barre on Sunday, November 9. Party members from across the state attended to conduct Party business.
The Vermont Progressive Party unanimously passed a resolution to recognize Anthony Pollina, who served as Chair of the Party from 2007 to 2009 and 2017 to 2025, as Chair Emeritus. Throughout his more than 40 year political career in Vermont, Pollina ran for statewide office four times including a campaign for Governor in 2008. Pollina served as a Vermont State Senator from 2011 until 2023.
With only four members of the Party’s Coordinating Committee continuing, the 2025 Convention marks the beginning of a new era for the Vermont Progressive Party. Stepping into leadership roles include Chair Bill Hunsinger (Ripton), Vice Chair Cindy Weed (Enosburg), Secretary Carter Neubieser (Burlington) and Assistant Secretary Jose Aguayo (Montpelier). New leaders serving as At-Large members include Gene Bergman (Burlington), Antonio Golan (Burlington) and Jaiel Pulskamp (Worcester). The Party has five new Regional Advisors: Eli Carini (Hartland) representing South East: Windham, Windsor; Adam Norton (Montpelier) representing Central: Washington, Orange; Kim Gabbert (Vergennes) representing South West: Bennington, Rutland, Addison; Marilyn Hackett (Franklin) representing Northern: Essex, Orleans, Franklin, Caledonia, Lamoille; and Kate Bailey (South Burlington) representing Chittenden-Grand Isle.
Will Anderson (Burlington) continues to serve as Treasurer. Adam Franz (Burlington), Liz Blum (Norwich), and Jackie Stanton (Johnson) continue on the Coordinating Committee as At-Large members.
Chair Bill Hunsinger shared “I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to work alongside Progressives across Vermont who fight everyday to better the lives of working class families. We will always remain committed to empowering and strengthening our small and rural communities, and promoting a fair and inclusive democracy that works for all Vermonters.”
“I’m honored that members put their trust in me to help them strengthen and sustain the Vermont Progressive Party well into the future,” said Vice Chair Cindy Weed. “Vermonters need a party that has, from its inception, supported economic initiatives for working families, seniors and veterans; sought solutions to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change on our residents, the environment, and our state budget; and more. These efforts are truly powered by the people because we don’t take any corporate donations.”
A panel discussion on education reform in Vermont included Senator Tanya Vyhovsky, Lamoille High School educator Eric Hutchins, and Former Lt. Governor David Zuckerman. Following the discussion, the Vermont Progressive Party passed a resolution to “petition the VT Legislature to rescind Act 73, and instead explore options to make the education portion of the Property Tax more fair and equitable in order to ensure that every owner of property in Vermont is contributing proportionally to funding Vermont Schools.” Chair Bill Hunsinger shared, “Vermonters have seen how politicians in Montpelier have turned their backs on our communities, seizing control over our self-governing school districts. The rural life and community that make Vermont great are being sacrificed simply because politicians are refusing to fix the problems they created. Vermonters know we cannot solve the issues of school education funding and unaffordable property taxes by doubling down on bad ideas.”
Progressive Party members passed amendments to the Party Platform at the State Convention. The Party also passed resolutions including the following statements:
“condemns the apartheid and ethnic cleansing by the Israeli State, and the attacks being carried out by the Israeli military and West Bank settlers on the people and infrastructure of Gaza and the West Bank, with over 71,200 Palestinian civilians killed since October 7, 2023 and the slaughter of 1,200 Israeli men, women, young adults, children, and babies by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the taking of hostages and calls on our Vermont Congressional delegation to demand:
A permanent ceasefire in the Israeli Gaza conflict;
Unrestricted humanitarian aid to those impacted independent of Israeli control;
An immediate end to all U.S. government funding for the Israeli Military; and
that Israeli settlers in the West Bank be expelled and the land returned to Palestinians”; and,
“recognizes the critical need for public resistance to and non-compliance with unlawful and unconstitutional actions by MAGA institutions and operatives. The Vermont Progressive Party endorses all facets of resistance, including political action, protests, strikes, boycotts and other acts of non-compliance. We will work in every capacity afforded to us – whether in the legislature, in the press or in the streets – to oppose and defeat the lawless actors that are determined to undermine our democracy and destroy “we the people” and our Republic.”