DON BURKHART

The government must be responsible to the people and responsive to the needs of the people.  I am a representative that serves the people and takes appropriate action. 

 

I am running for re-election in order to continue the work you and I have started and to continue to serve and work for the people of District 15 by being their advocate in the Wyoming House. 

 

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

 

I do not, and will not, compromise my strong ethics and principles.

 

I am helping to keep Wyoming working by supporting our existing businesses and growing our economy by attracting new business especially in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and high tech sectors.  I have had direct and personal discussions with high tech companies interested in locating in Wyoming; all with the desire to expand the economy of the District and County.  I will continue those efforts

 

I strongly support our great law enforcement personnel.  I am working on better ways to provide them with adequate pay for the job they do,

 

I believe the family is the basis of society and as the family goes, so goes society.  I believe in the right to life for all people.  I believe in the sanctity of marriage.  Government must work to uphold and strengthen the family, the right to life and marriage.

 

Taxes must be kept low.  People must be able to keep the money they earn.  I have worked to keep a budget that is balanced and controlled, your taxes low and government to a reasonable size.  A budget should be no larger than is needed to serve the people.  I have championed a balanced state budget without raising your taxes. I continue to work to stop the willy-nilly raising of taxes which merely funds someone’s pet project.  My personal efforts have directly saved the people of Wyoming over $100 million.

 

Government must be kept to a reasonable size.  Government must be responsible to the people and responsive to the needs of the people.  The government that governs least governs best.  The people know what is best for them more than the government does.

 

One of my goals is a strong free enterprise economy that provides good jobs and great careers, good business opportunities and fair treatment of business. This is especially true for small businesses.   Free enterprise provides the basis for good jobs and careers that allow people to succeed and support their families and themselves.  Government should provide a sound framework and good business climate with as little regulation as possible. Wyoming must promote and enhance a strong free enterprise system.

 

The Wyoming and United States Constitutions provide citizens with specific rights and the government must uphold those rights.  This is especially true for the rights of free speech, assembly, religion, the right to keep and bear arms, and the rights of states over the federal government.

 

The children of Wyoming deserve a quality education system.  The expenditures on education must provide solid value and benefits.  Wyoming spends a lot of money on education but the overall performance is average and that is not adequate.  The students must get their money’s worth from the expenditures made on education.  Students must receive an excellent level of education that prepares them for future success and careers.  I work to provide the best possible high quality education for our children.  I work to improve the education system by keeping the good aspects and eliminating the poor ones.  This is especially true for our community colleges which are vitally important as Wyoming moves to more of a STEM economy.

 

Wyoming’s quality of life is unique.  Our open spaces and wild life must be protected and enhanced.

 

Wyoming’s water is our most precious resource.  I work to keep and enhance that resource and guard it against outside attempts to take that resource for the use of other states.

 

When it comes to economic development we must first remember to take care to of the businesses already in Wyoming and not forget how important they are; especially our local small businesses that support our communities.  Minerals are an important part of our economy and the State’s treatment of them must be fair and equitable.  The State should not promote one industry over another or disadvantage one over another.  The tax structure must support a strong business climate.  State government must treat businesses fairly.  It should not subsidize any business with tax breaks, tax incentives or other special treatment and should not penalize them by over taxation.  It must be a “level playing field.”  Businesses should succeed or fail on their own merits and abilities.  I take every opportunity to bring new industry to Wyoming.  Enhancing Wyoming’s infrastructure to help businesses succeed.  Moving WY to more of a STEM based economy.  This means fostering an environment for STEM industries to thrive in Wyoming.  I have already started this with an initiative I have developed.  This is a program I have titled “PhD’s with pickups.” These are high tech businesses and entrepreneurs who bring great jobs and careers and at the same time value Wyoming’s lifestyle and want to preserve that lifestyle..

 

The biggest challenge is to keep Wyoming financially strong and stable and keep taxes low.  To maintain necessary funding and stop wasteful or silly spending.  This is will require hard work based on integrity, ethics and experience and a lot of creativity. 

 

To spur more economic development and diversification the state must provide a good infrastructure, good transportation, good utilities and a good tax structure