R J Kost (Republican)

Born in Greybull, Wyoming, Attended Basin Schools, 1971 Rocky Mountain College, Billings, MT, Graduated 1975 With a Double major.
Married in August 1975 to Caroline Sanborne, We have two children.
1975-1982 Dubois Fremont County School District #2: Taught Math 7-12, Coached Football, Girls Basketball, Track, Middle School Wrestling, Athletic Director (5 years for 2 hours a day, the rest was for teaching) Municipal Judge for 3 years Dubois
1982-2006 Park County School District #1 Powell, Wyoming High School Math instructor, Coached Football, and Wrestling
1989 Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wyoming.
2006-2018 Park County School District #1 Curriculum Coordinator
2018 – 2026 Retired
2019 – 2022 Senator for District 19 (Our District)
2023 – Appointed to the State Board of Education

2019-2022 Senator for District #19
Experience as an effective board member of a number of organizations.
43 years in education as a teacher and administrator.
My appointment to the State Board of Education since 2023 to the present.

1971 Graduated from Basin High School
1975 Graduated from Rocky Mountain College B. S. Double Major--Mathematics, Physical Education, Health
1989 Graduated from the University of Wyoming with Masters in Curriculum and Instruction
Continued with Graduate courses 30 credits above Masters

President of Powell Valley Healthcare Board and member 16 years
Powell Hospital District Board Member 16 years
Northwest College Trustee 3 years
Northwest College Foundation Board 3 years
Powell Economic Partnership Board Member 8 years
Powell Schools Federal Credit Union Board member and president 41 years
Volunteer for numerous activities with Park County School District #1 (Powell)

I am running to bring civility and integrity back to Cheyenne. We have lost the true meaning of the Wyoming Legislature and governing. We need to be collaborative, communicative, and focused on solutions which are best for the State of Wyoming citizens. We must work together and remember we are representing all of the citizens of our state, not just those who represent what some think is the only way. I also know that while I was in the Senate from 2019 – 2022, I enjoyed doing the work of the people and doing my best to represent the citizens of my district, the residents of the Big Horn Basin and the citizens of the State of Wyoming. I would like to continue that work for the 2027-2030 term.

My top 3 priorities are Education, Healthcare, and Economic Development.

Education is at the turning point in meeting the students’ needs. We are moving in the right direction by focusing on Student Centered Education. By educating the legislators there will be a better understanding helping change the current environment towards education and allow districts to have local control.

Healthcare is at a challenging point and there is a need to be innovative in ways to meet the needs of every patient. If we don’t meet these needs, we will lose hospitals and that isn’t good for our rural areas. Since most of the hospitals in Wyoming are Critical Access Hospitals that can’t refuse service, they end up with uninsured patients who can’t afford to pay.

In order to keep our community’s solvent, we need economic diversity and development. An added challenge is the need for affordable housing. With innovation and diversity, we can work with options to help our communities. This all takes time.

The movement to reduce property taxes is hurting more than many realize. Higher property taxes have been caused by increasing home values. If home prices can be reduced, it will bring property tax down. Wyoming is the lowest taxed state in the nation when you combine all our taxes. We need to find other options to help ease the high property taxes for those who can't afford the cost.