Biography
Julia Andrews became a State Representative in 2022 as one step in a long trajectory of public service to her community. In 2008, she co-founded the Westford Food Shelf, which she has continued to run on a volunteer basis for the past sixteen years. She sits on the board of Westford Common Hall, and, for a term, served on the Westford Selectboard where she chaired the Board through the Covid-19 pandemic.
During her time in the Legislature, she has been a champion for important financial issues to Vermonters including housing, healthcare, childcare, and education. She sits on the Ways & Means Committee where she works on issues of fair taxation and managing the revenue of the state.
Julia Andrews grew up in southeastern Massachusetts, the youngest of six children. She received her BA in journalism from the University of Massachusetts and has built a lifelong career in marketing and communications.
Candidate occupation
Marketing
Why are you running for office?
Whether it’s volunteering at the school, running the Westford Food Shelf, or fundraising for an orphanage in Haiti, I’ve always believed in the power of service. When confronted with a problem, my bearing is to always work toward a solution with others that are willing to pitch in. This orientation toward action, combined with my desire to serve, make me a strong member of the Legislature.
Issues in brief
Do you believe Vermonters are better off now than they were 10 years ago?
No
Do you believe Vermont needs a new education funding formula?
Yes
Do you support imposing new taxes on the wealthiest Vermonters?
Yes
Do you support the establishment of overdose prevention centers?
Yes
Do you support a ban on flavored tobacco products?
Yes
Do you support increasing penalties for property crimes such as shoplifting?
Yes
Do you believe Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election?
Yes
Issues in depth
What would you do to help grow Vermont’s economy?
The biggest gating factor for economic growth in Vermont is the lack of housing at all price points. In Vermont, we have a long history of policies designed to curb development, and we’re going to have to focus on bending that curve for a long time to come. While Act 250 reform was a fantastic step forward to remove regulatory barriers to smart development, investments also need to be made to build housing units for a range of Vermonters- tradespeople, healthcare workers, teachers, and other professions.
Continuing to support the work outlined in the childcare bill is also very important to ensure that all people who want to be in the workforce can be. Affordable, high quality childcare allows parents to be fully present at work.
What changes, if any, would you make to the way Vermont funds its schools?
It has become clear to me that the funding formula for our statewide education system is no longer working. While I believe it was designed to build an equitable education system, this goal is no longer being met. It is also a source of frustration for taxpayers, municipalities, and school districts that find the formula difficult to understand and explain.
In addition, we need to identify ways to make our school districts work more efficiently and address the cost drivers in the education system without hurting the quality of education for our young people. There are many aspects of school spending that should be considered, including the cost of mental health services, employee health insurance, building and district consolidation, special education, and the public tuition system. It’s vital that we create a more efficient, equitable statewide system without losing sight of education quality.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to address climate change? Please explain.
Vermont is a leader in environmental protection, and we should be proud of that. We’ve done our part by working to transition to renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions, and protect open lands. It’s important to note that these measures not only make a positive contribution toward reducing climate change, but also future proof our communities and businesses, ensuring Vermont doesn’t fall behind as the world makes the transition away from fossil fuels.
One place we need to do better is hardening our infrastructure against destructive storms. As communities rebuild from flooding, it is imperative that we rebuild in a way that better directs water flow and helps protect buildings from being in the path of overflowing rivers and streams.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to regulate gun ownership? Please explain.
This past biennium, Vermont passed a strong suicide prevention bill centered around safe storage of weapons and the expansion of protective orders. Since nearly 90% of gun deaths in Vermont are suicides, I feel like this was a strong step in the right direction.
As we continue to address the topic of gun violence, I’m committed to addressing all forms of violence including domestic abuse and suicide. There are firearm measures that can be effective in reducing these forms of violence, and there are additional prevention measures that address root causes.
What would you do to help ease Vermont’s housing crisis?
Act 250 reform has set Vermont on a positive path that paves the way for more housing to be built where it makes sense while also protecting Vermont’s open lands. It enables more housing in all communities, while focusing the majority of building to places where there is infrastructure to support significantly more housing. We need to continue to look at regulations and make common-sense changes that build on what was accomplished in the last two years.
However, regulation alone doesn’t solve the housing crisis. We need investment in low- and moderate-income housing options, and investment in housing options for disabled and older Vermonters. With decades of policy that curbed housing, it will take a consistent and concerted effort to reverse the housing crisis and provide housing for all.
How would you address rising homelessness in Vermont?
Homelessness is often caused by an interlocking set of factors, which may include difficulty with employment, mental and physical health challenges, lack of a support network, and/or mental health challenges, and of course at the center of it all sits a lack of affordable housing.
Investing in low-income housing is a key step to help the unhoused population find a safe place to live. In addition, people who are unhoused often need additional supports to stabilize their situation, and we need to continue to strengthen our mental health and social supports for struggling Vermonters.
What would you do to increase access to health care services for Vermonters?
One of the challenges we see across many categories of healthcare is that low reimbursement rates for Medicaid makes it difficult for providers to continue to provide services. I was proud to pass a bill last biennium to ensure that telehealth appointments can be billed the same as in-person visits. Telehealth, while not a magic bullet for all medical care, can provide people who are rural, disabled, or elderly with an attractive option to meet their healthcare needs.
We also must continue to review insurance coverage and look for gaps that prevent people from seeking care. When things like diagnostic testing for cancer can be priced so astronomically, it creates a barrier to seeking preventative care.
Finally, the Legislature has sought to remove barriers for many types of healthcare providers to come work in Vermont by creating reciprocal licensing agreements with other states. We should seek to make further administrative changes to remove barriers for practitioners.
Financial disclosure
Candidates for state and legislative offices are required to submit a financial disclosure when filing to run. These disclosures include each source, but not the amount, of personal income of each candidate, and of their spouse or domestic partner, that singly or jointly totals more than $5,000 for the previous 12 months. The information provided is an opportunity for voters to learn about candidates’ potential conflicts of interest.
You can find Andrews’s financial disclosure here.
Disclaimer
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