Campaign Phone
3072155721
I am running for House District 36 because our communities deserve practical, accountable leadership focused on results. My background in operations has taught me how to manage budgets, solve problems, and make responsible decisions. As a former Chamber President, I worked with businesses, nonprofits, tourism, and economic development leaders to strengthen our communities and support local growth. Serving on nonprofit boards has reinforced the importance of collaboration, transparency, and fiscal responsibility. I will bring that same approach to the Legislature—listening to constituents, working across perspectives, and making thoughtful decisions that protect taxpayers, strengthen our economy, and serve the people of House District 36.
I do not support raising taxes, but I also believe we must be thoughtful about reducing them in ways that create unintended consequences for our local communities. Property tax relief is an important issue, and many homeowners are feeling the strain of rising valuations. However, a 50% reduction would significantly impact the revenue that funds essential local services such as schools, public safety, roads, and other community needs.
I support maintaining the current levels of taxes but if we were to revert, the state would share the burden of redistributing the tax revenue for local communities to benefit. We should not aim to decrease taxes if it hurts our communities but need to be wary of raising taxes if it hurts our citizens.
I support keeping public lands in public hands because they are central to Wyoming's heritage, economy, outdoor recreation, agriculture, and quality of life. I believe these lands should be managed responsibly and protected for future generations. At the same time, I recognize there may be limited circumstances where thoughtful, strategic land exchanges or development serve a clear public benefit, improve access, or meet critical community needs. Any proposal should be transparent, carefully evaluated, and provide a net benefit to Wyoming citizens. I do not support broad efforts to sell off public lands, but I do support practical solutions that balance conservation with responsible growth.
Wyoming's commitment to public education is an investment in our future, and every student deserves access to a quality education regardless of where they live. We must maintain strong schools, support and retain quality educators, and ensure students have access to nutritious meals and the resources they need to succeed.
Public funds should be used responsibly to support essential social services that help Wyoming's most vulnerable residents while promoting accountability and long-term self-sufficiency. These programs should be efficient, transparent, and regularly evaluated to ensure taxpayer dollars are producing meaningful results. I support investing in services that strengthen families, protect children and seniors, assist individuals with disabilities, and provide temporary support during times of need. Our goal should be to help people achieve independence whenever possible while ensuring public resources are managed responsibly.
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Art Washut For House District 36
Campaign Phone
(307)251-4725
I am running for re-election because Wyoming is my home. I love this place. I grew up in Casper and made my life here. I served on Casper Police Department and retired as the interim chief of police. Since then I have taught criminal justice and political science at Casper College and have a Masters degree in Public Administration from UW. All of my grandchildren live here. I am running for them and young people like them. I want Wyoming to remain a special place with wide open spaces where they can recreate and enjoy nature. I want to help ensure Wyoming has jobs and opportunities for young families. I have served since 2019 and I have built the relationships, knowledge and respect necessary to get legislation passed.
No. The initiative does not contain a backfill guarantee. This means if it passes, there is no mechanism to ensure that local governments, fire districts, and other special districts will receive the funding needed to provide the level of service that the public expects. I have supported and even co-sponsored some of the residential property tax changes in recent years because the rapid increase in assessed value of Wyoming homes severely impacted lots of people. Yet those impacts were not equal across the state. Some counties were hit much harder than others. The initiative imposes the same change on every county, regardless of the local situation. The legislature can continue to work on this without the initiative.
The wholesale exchange or sale of public lands would be horrible. There may be situations, however, where a sale or exchange of a parcel may make sense. A transparent process with ample opportunities for stakeholders to participate in the decision-making is the key. For example, the transfer of a parcel could increase access to additional lands, that might make sense. A careful case by case evaluation involving local communities would need to be at the center of the process before any transfer takes place.
It is certainly a work in progress. Wyoming spends a tremendous sum on public education. When we look at the appropriation per student, it is amazingly high because we are a rural and sparsely populated state. The two silo approach is new this year and will need some adjustments, but I like the concept. The legislature wanted teachers to get a big raise and we accomplished that. At the same time, some efficiency measures in education are needed. We need to think about having 48 school districts and the reality that many of these districts have very few students. Fremont county has 8 school districts while Natrona has one. The cost of administrating schools needs to be carefully managed
I spent my first career in policing where I witnessed poverty and the related conditions first hand. I saw the impact of substance abuse and mental illness. I responded to way too many suicides and interacted with veterans and others living under bridges. There is most definitely a role for government to play in social services. Faith communities, our non-profits and private philanthropy are also important. I have seen our child development center do great things!. The first lady has done amazing work with the hunger initiative which illustrates what private/public partnerships can accomplish. I was disappointed that the legislature did not fund the sun bucks program. There is a role for government, no question.
