Social worker Tanya Vyhovsky promises to fight for the underrepresented in the VT Senate

Growing up in a working-class single-parent household, Chittenden Central Senate District candidate Tanya Vyhovsky said she saw no one like her in office.

Vyhovsky, a young woman who doesn’t believe our democracy is representative, wants to fight to make Vermont livable for people like her. She is running as a Progressive and a Democrat.

“I made the decision to try and make Vermont a place where people like me and families like mine can thrive,” she said.

Vyhovsky, a social worker, has been a state representative for the Chittenden 8-1 district since 2020. She serves on the House Committee on Government Operations.

That committee considers changes to town charters — legal documents that define a city government’s authority, governance, and essential procedures. One of the charters that came before her was Winooski’s.

“One of the charters I know impacted Winooski was the all-residents voting charter, and that was something that I was damn supportive of and fought for,” she said. “That is one place where, you know, I've already supported and fought for the voters of Winooski.

The all-resident voting charter was passed in 2020 in Winooski. The change affords legal residents of Winooski the right to vote, regardless of citizenship status.

Vyhovsky said her work in housing and her background in social work influenced new legislation that can help Winooski residents.

“We passed a housing omnibus bill that will invest in housing, and I know that Chittenden County particularly is really impacted by the housing crisis,” Vyhovsky said. “Winooski, being the most densely populated city in the state, is certainly struggling with our lack of access to housing.”

Tanya Vyhovsky is one of six candidates running for state senate in Chittenden Central. Photo courtesy of Tanya Vhovsky, www.tanyaforvt.com.

As a candidate endorsed by the Progressive Party, it may be no surprise that Vyhovsky stressed a need for systemic change. One area for change includes the mental health care field, which she said is overwhelmed in Vermont. She said the field has been underfunded for the past 50 to 60 years.

“I spend every Monday morning calling back the dozens of people that have called me in the week telling them it's probably going to be a few years before I have an opening,” she said.

Her job gives her a unique perspective on state political affairs, she said, because she sees the issues Vermonters face daily.

“I'm working day in and day out with people who are going to tell you that the systems really aren't working,” she said. “I bring up boldness and bravery to really say actually, people are starving, people are homeless, people are dying of overdoses. We can't wait ‘till next year.”

If elected, Vyhovsky said she will request to serve on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. She said it is important to make progress on the economic challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has presented.

“As we're talking about spending the rest of this federal COVID money … we're really talking about spending it on the ground for the people that need it most and really making foundational investments in systems that will lift people up and out of poverty,” Vyhovsky said.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly misspelled Vyhovsky’s name wrong. It has been corrected.