Joyce with her children Michael and Jackie
A Real Woodchuck
Joyce was born in Vergennes, Vermont, raised in Pittsford, and was graduated from Otter Valley Union High School in 1968. She went to college in Massachusetts, where she married Mike Errecart, and received a degree in history and political science from Wellesley College.
Mike and Joyce moved to Washington, DC in 1972, so that Joyce could work for Vermont's Congressman, Dick Mallary. After Congressman Mallary's unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1974, Joyce earned a law degree from American University, clerked at the U.S. Tax Court, worked as a trial lawyer for IRS, and earned a Masters of Law in Taxation from Georgetown University.
Michael and Jackie were born in 1978 and 1980. The family moved to Shelburne in 1983 so that the kids could go to good schools and have the space to raise a dog. While Mike built up a 70 person office of Macro International, Joyce practiced law part-time, first at Dinse, Allen & Erdmann, and then as a sole practitioner.
In 1991, Governor Richard Snelling appointed Joyce Commissioner of Taxes. After Governor Snelling died in August of 1991, Joyce continued to bring Governor Snelling's energy and discipline to improving the Tax Department. During Joyce's tenure as Tax Commissioner, she downsized the Tax Department staff by 10% without layoffs while increasing collection of delinquent accounts, speeding up the deposit of tax checks in the bank, and generally issuing refund checks faster than IRS.
Joyce testifies before the House Appropriations Committee
In 1994, Joyce returned to law practice with Bergeron, Paradis & Fitzpatrick, where most of her time was spent helping taxpayers resolve problems with IRS and the Vermont Tax Department. In 1997, she began consulting on tax administration. She has provided tax administration assistance to DC's Office of Tax and Revenue, the Delaware Division of Revenue, and the US Treasury Department. The most interesting assignment was a taxpayer service project with the Romanian Ministry of Finance.
Joyce's community activities have included 10 years on the Shelburne Zoning Board, including 2 years as chair, two years on the Shelburne Board of Civil Authority, and serving on the Boards of Directors of Burlington Meals on Wheels, Shelburne News, Inc., Vermont Student Opportunity Scholarship Fund, Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation, and the Vermont YWCA. Joyce has been an assistant Little League coach and Sunday School teacher and served on the Board of Trustees of the Shelburne Methodist Church.
Mike died at their home on August 4th, 2003, of neuroendocrine cancer. Mike served on the Shelburne School Board from 1988 to 1993, including two years as Chair. He is dearly missed.
Michael and Jackie have graduated from college. Michael lives and works in Seattle. Jackie lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with her husband, Austin, and one year old son, Tucker.
