Response to WyoFile - Legislative Budget Cuts

Written by Gabriel Green, DINO Candidate for Governor in 2026

I received an email on Tuesday, January 27 (2026) asking for me to weigh in on the legislature's recent budget cuts. I was asked by a WyoFile reporter (Maggie) for a peice she's writing on all the governor candidates' responses.

Knowing how journalism works, I'm sure my full answer won't be included. So, I figured I'd share it here, for full transparency, so there's zero doubt where I stand on this issue.

Below is a screenshot of my email, and then the full text of my email, minus pleasantries and signatures and whatnot.

Full Response - Email Screenshot

Full Response - Written Version

BROAD ANSWER

• Unfortunately, while I like the rhetoric of our legislature when it comes to these cuts, the reality seems to be something very different from what they're claiming. They're talking a really big game about how they're saving money, increasing freedom, etc. But the folks I've talked to who actually understand these programs have made it clear that the cuts are poorly thought through, knee-jerk type responses, based more on scoring political points than actually helping Wyoming or the hard working people who make our state great.

• I am very passionate about reforming how our government spends money, but doing it the RIGHT way that ensures that our young folks have a future they can get excited about, our business owners and entrepreneurs have the opportunities to make the world a better place, and our hard working Wyomingites can earn a comfortable living that allows them to raise their families as they see fit.

• The way the legislature has made its cuts do not reflect a long term vision of success or an authentic desire to make Wyoming great; these cuts are more about proving they're tough on so-called "libs" like those they claim run the University of Wyoming. 

• A better model would be like the reforms undertaken under the R-Youngkin administration in Virginia (which Governor D-Spanberger has largely kept intact, albeit with rebranding of some things to claim her own political credit). Virginia found over $1billion in administrative savings without jeopardizing key institutions. The fact that these reforms have bipartisan buy-in, support from business community and workers, and have already proven successful in eliminating government bloat, tells me there are better paths to savings than what our legislature is doing.

• Let's do things the right way. Not the way that guarantees future election victories.

Do you support or oppose the proposed dismantling and defunding of the Wyoming Business Council? 

• I am very open to reforming how we use economic development funds, and have a strong libertarian/free-market bias when it comes to government money being used to pick "winners and losers" in the economy. 

• But, as I've come to understand it, these cuts don't reflect those principles. They're about scoring political points. 

• At a deeper level, it's worth looking at the fact that this is coming from non-traditional Republicans who have a different donor-base than traditional Wyoming Republicans. Sadly, it seems like cuts to these programs are more about undermining the supporters of a rival political faction than actually doing any good for Wyoming.

• Now, I'm the first to admit that the Wyoming Business Council has problems and is prone to the corruption that is rampant in our state politics. But, dismantling the whole thing is like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. And it's not about ending government spending on businesses or stopping the government from picking winners and losers. It's about picking NEW winners and losers, based on who has and has not supported the new dominant faction in the Wyoming Republican Party.

• I'd work with the legislature, and members of all factions, who want to truly help the Wyoming economy. By borrowing from other states' successful models for reigning in government spending, administrative creep, and general bureaucratic bloat (like the bi-partisan supported reforms in Virginia that have proven successful) we could actually help the workers of Wyoming and the entrepreneurs who create their jobs.

What is your opinion on the various cuts the committee voted to make to the University of Wyoming?

• I am the first to admit that the University of Wyoming commands a large portion of our budget with little to no oversight. I applaud any efforts to dismantle their stranglehold, and to support the many fine community colleges and technical schools that serve the needs of many Wyomingites. It's not that I'm against funding our premier institution; in fact my ideal world would see all education institutions receiving robust funding, along with parents and families receiving more resources to pursue their own best options in a robust marketplace. But, I readily admit that how UW has operated for years borders on blatant corruption and monopoly.

• That said, these cuts aren't about fixing any of that. They're about scoring political points for show against the so-called "libs" that run our premier education institution. They're about punishing the college kids and the community as a whole, for daring to stand up to the Freedom Caucus and its new brand of corruption. They're about discouraging dissent; not fixing Wyoming's education mess. 

• If these cuts were wisely implemented or actually aimed at what the legislature says they are, they'd be great. Unfortunately, they're about proving how tough the legislature is on its perceived enemies. Especially the many UW backers who support traditional Republicans over the Freedom Caucus.

• As a not-so-fun note: apparently they cut around $6.1 million that was allocated from the House NIL settlement. I won't pretend to be an expert here, but I heard it from a reliable source that this is going to open the state up to lawsuits from athletes demanding their money, and that the end settlement from THAT lawsuit is likely to cost well-above $6.1 million. Talk about setting our state up for failure, eh?

I know that your story can't probably include my full nuanced responses. Perks of how our system works, and folks' decreasing willingness to read long form journalism...So, if you want something super short:

• The way the legislature is cutting things makes it clear their goal is scoring political points, not making Wyoming's economy stronger for working people. Reforms like what we saw in Virginia under Governor Youngkin-R (and continued by Governor Spanberger-D) are a way better route to saving taxpayer dollars without throwing the baby out with the proverbial bathwater. If the legislature meant what they said, I'd support it. Unfortunately the evidence says otherwise.

If you want more insights on the VA model I cite, here is an article I wrote about it a while back. Needless to say, my background working around state politics makes me prone to looking for examples of things that actually work, not just doing what sounds good in a news conference.