by Guy Page
Vermont gubernatorial candidate Brian Judd is promising to use the governor’s executive authority aggressively if elected in November, including seeking to repeal Act 181, restore state psychiatric hospitals and conduct broad audits of state government and nonprofit organizations.
Judd will face Republican incumbent Phil Scott and Democrat Amanda Janoo in the November 3 general election.
The independent candidate was born and raised in Barre City. His family owned a funeral home in Barre City for over 100 years.(Hooker & Whitcomb Funeral Home). Judd is an honorably discharged Navy Veteran Oct. 1978 – Dec. 1983 who has been clean and sober from alcohol and drugs for over 35 years, and was a member of SAG/AFTRA for almost 30 years. In 2021 he ran for Barre City Council. In 2022 he ran for Barre City State Representative.
In a campaign statement, Judd said his approach to the office would be guided by the Vermont Constitution, emphasizing the governor’s responsibility to ensure state laws are faithfully executed and the governor’s role as captain-general and commander-in-chief of the state’s forces.
Judd identified taxes as a major focus of his campaign, saying he would work with the Legislature — and, when necessary, the judiciary — to stop tax increases, lower existing taxes and return taxpayer money to Vermonters.
He also outlined three actions he said would be priorities immediately following his inauguration on Jan. 14, 2027.
His first proposed executive order would seek the “complete and total repeal” of Act 181, Vermont’s 2024 land-use and housing law that made significant changes to the state’s Act 250 development review system.
His second would seek to address homelessness by bringing back state psychiatric hospitals. Judd did not provide details in the statement about how the facilities would be established, funded or operated.
His proposed third executive order would call for an audit of Vermont state government as well as nonprofit organizations throughout the state. Judd did not specify the scope of the audits or which nonprofits would be subject to them.
Judd portrayed the three proposals as only the beginning of a broader agenda he would pursue as governor. “There’s much, much, much more,” Judd said, encouraging Vermonters to contact him for additional information about his platform. “Save Vermont, Vote Judd,” he concluded. “God Bless Vermont.”