The longest-serving member of the Vermont Senate has resigned from his post after serving for more than 40 years in the Statehouse.
Grand Isle Sen. Dick Mazza, a Democrat, submitted on Monday, citing 鈥渉ealth鈥� as the reason for his departure.
Mazza, 84, said his 42 years of service in Montpelier 鈥� he served briefly in the House of Representatives before joining the Senate in 1985 鈥� has been the 鈥減rivilege of a lifetime.鈥�
鈥淔or more than 40 years, the moments spent in the Vermont [Statehouse] have been exceptionally gratifying and rewarding,鈥� Mazza wrote. 鈥淎nd many of the people in it have become lifelong friends.鈥�
Scott said that Mazza, owner of Dick Mazza鈥檚 General Store in Colchester, is known as 鈥渢he Conscience of the Senate.鈥� And he said the chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation is one of the most effective lawmakers ever to have served in Montpelier.
鈥淚t would be difficult to find a Vermonter who has been more impactful, committed or dedicated to public service over the past four decades than Sen. Dick Mazza,鈥� Scott said.
Mazza is a longtime member of the Vermont Committee on Committees, a powerful three-person panel that determines committee assignments for the body. He鈥檚 regarded as one of the most influential powerbrokers in Vermont politics.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a popular misconception that Vermont is run out of the fifth-floor governor鈥檚 office in Montpelier, when in reality, it鈥檚 run out of the deli section of Mazza鈥檚 store,鈥� then-Congressman .
Scott, a former Washington County senator, said he and Mazza forged a close bond when they served together on the transportation committee.
鈥淲hen I was first elected to the state Senate 24 years ago, one person, Sen. Mazza, immediately took me under his wing,鈥� Scott said. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 matter that I was a Republican and he was a Democrat. He put his faith and trust in me, as I did with him. He hasn鈥檛 left my side in the two decades since.鈥�
VTDigger reported in February that . Mazza said in his that he is now 鈥渦nable to provide the quality of service and dedication I have always given to my constituents.鈥�
鈥淗aving dedicated representation has always been one of my top priorities, and I believe the people I serve deserve someone who can provide their full attention to this critical position,鈥� he wrote.
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