DON BURKHART

LEADERSHIP - INTEGRITY - HARD WORK

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My vision for District 15 remains clear - that the communities of the District are THE truly great communities in Wyoming.  I want to continue to make that vision a reality.

 

Serving as your Representative for House District 15 is an honor and privilege.  House District 15 seat belongs to the people.  I know filling that seat shows the great trust you have in me.  I will continue to honor that trust.  I have worked diligently for the people of District 15, Carbon County and Wyoming and will continue to do that. 

 

I am not a politician.  I am an average person who decided to stand up and say enough is enough.  Government exists not to serve itself, but to serve the people.

 

I am married to Mary.  We have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

 

I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics.

 

I have worked the majority of my career as a safety engineer in a variety of industries, dedicating myself to the safety and health of workers and am a recognized expert in safety.  I have been a manger for several companies, including being a manager in the nuclear weapons industry and have personally managed very large, multi-million dollar budgets.  The majority of my career has been spent in Wyoming’s energy industries.  I have taken positive legislative action to improve the safety and health of Wyoming’s workers.  Have served on the Board of Directors of the Wyoming-Montana Safety Council and on the Governor’s Wyoming Workplace Fatality Task Force.

 

I am a recognized leader and base my leadership on Integrity, Honesty, Ethics and Hard Work.  I have been a guest speaker on leadership at various conferences, including at the national level.

 

My work experience, including extensive experience in Wyoming’s energy industries, has given me exceptional skills, knowledge, abilities and creativity to solve Wyoming’s complex economic and energy issues and achieve win-win solutions to those problems. As a manager, including in the nuclear weapons industry, I have considerable experience in solving very complex problems and issues. That is how the budget has been balanced without raising your taxes.  I have the skills, knowledge, abilities and experience to do the job.

 

I am up to the biggest challenges we have – to keep a balanced state budget without raising your taxes, to maintain necessary funding and to stop wasteful spending.  This requires hard work based on integrity and ethics. 

 

I am working to enhance District 15’s, Carbon County’s and Wyoming’s, economy at all levels.  Working to maintain and increase as much state support as possible to communities in District 15 and all of Carbon County.  That includes State support to repair the water system for Rawlins and Sinclair.  The additional money has been millions of dollars.

 

I do not, and will not, compromise my strong ethics and principles. I consider the people of the District and vote my conscience and not party or caucus decisively making the tough decisions on the important issues.  I say what I mean and mean what I say.  I promote and work for results; not just more talk.  I solve problems; not make more of them.  I have the legislative experience to get results for the people of House District 15.

 

I am fiscally conservative: a trait that is truly needed right now.  I will continue to keep Wyoming’s finances on a strong foundation and not waste money on silly spending.  I address near term issues while constantly looking toward the future and what District 15, Carbon County and Wyoming will be like in the next 20-30 years.

 

I vigorously support free enterprise and a strong economy that provides good jobs and great careers for the people of WY.

 

Defending the Wyoming and US Constitutions and the rights guaranteed by them is of prime importance to me.  This includes the rights of free speech, religion, assembly and to keep and bear arms.  I consistently push back against federal encroachment of our freedoms. 

 

I believe in the importance of the family, the right to life and the sanctity of marriage.

 

I enjoy hunting, fly-fishing, woodcarving and woodworking, including building furniture.

 

I work for the best education for all Wyoming students.

 

I have served in the Legislature since 2011, having been Speaker Pro Temp of the House of Representatives from 2017-2018.  This has given me an in-depth working knowledge of the legislative processes which has helped in advocating for District 15. 

 

• I am currently Chairman of the Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee.  This has enabled me to stop legislation that would have harmed the people of District 15 and Carbon County.  This would have included placing a mileage tax on drivers and required reporting mileage to the government and would have place a toll on drivers for using Interstate 80.

• I am currently Chairman of the Select Federal Natural Resources management Committee.  This has helped push back against federal intrusion.

• I serve on the Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee and was vice chairman from 2019-2020. 

• I serve on the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources Council.

• I serve on the Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute Commission.

• I serve on the Air Transportation Liaison Committee.

• Vice-Chairman of the Appropriations Committee 2013-2018.  

• Member of the Education Committee 2011-2012. 

• Appointed by Legislature Management to The Energy Council, 2014-present, and serve on the Executive Committee.  This has benefited WY in numerous ways and uses the combined influence of the member states to support Wyoming’s interests.

• I served as the House of Representatives' Liaison to Wyoming Retirement System 2014-2020 and have worked to maintain a sound and funded retirement system for state employees and other employees, such as teachers, who are in the retirement system.  I developed and passed a bill creating a modern retirement plan for Volunteer Firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians and Search and Rescue personnel. 

 

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