U.S. Marine Corps veteran takes on challenges in state Senate District 37

When Devlin Robinson takes his state Senate seat in January, COVID-19 looks as if it still will be a primary consideration.
As such, the Republican resident of Bridgeville Borough will be looking for ways to help mitigate the pandemic’s impact on his 37th District constituents, especially as it relates to jobs and the economy.
Robinson said a key to recovery is providing support for employers in industries with a major presence in Western Pennsylvania.
That includes the natural gas industry, which benefits by this particular state being the only one not to levy a severance tax on removal of natural resources. Instead, Pennsylvania allows for localized impact fees and Robinson would like to see the structure remain the same.
“The gas companies are already getting taxed twice,” he said, also referencing the commonwealth’s 9.990% corporate income tax.
“I want to keep the tax money here in Western Pennsylvania for our infrastructure,” he added of impact fees.
More directly related to COVID-19 is the impact on jobs caused by placing limits on business’ operations during the pandemic, with many resulting in calls for a full reopening. Robinson seeks a reasonable solution in the middle.
“It’s the same thing as the gas industry. There’s a safe and efficient way to do it, and that’s what we need to find,” he said. “It’s not so much an ‘A’ or ‘B’ option.
During his campaign, which was successful in unseating Mt. Lebanon Democrat Pam Iovino, Robinson addressed other issues he plans to confront at the state level, including a tendency to increase taxes at the state level to fund what he refers to as “a spending problem.”
As the owner of a company, Veterans Medical Technology, who earned his master of business administration from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business, Robinson recognizes the negative impact of COVID-19 on the state’s finances, and he plans to take a closer look in Harrisburg.
“I want to get there and start opening up the books, and start finding where we can make an impact in the budget,” he said.
Among other items listed in Robinson’s platform are attempting to ensure fair funding for school districts in the 37th District and working on reforming the “fiscal time bomb” of Pennsylvania public pension system.
A Brookline native and graduate of Central Catholic High School, Robinson continued a tradition of family service by joining the U.S. Marine Corps. Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, he served three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He is a member of Veterans of Foreign War Post 764 in Peters Township, Bethel Park Marine Corps League, Bridgeville American Legion and Rotary Club of Bridgeville-South Fayette, among other groups. He also served as the Pennsylvania commander for the Italian American War Veterans organization.
State Senate District 37 includes Peters Township in Washington County and the Allegheny County municipalities of Aleppo Township, Bell Acres, Ben Avon Heights, Bethel Park, Bridgeville, Collier Township, Crescent Township, Edgeworth, Emsworth, Findlay Township, Glen Osborne, Glenfield, Haysville, Jefferson Hills, Kilbuck Township, Leetsdale, Leet Township, McDonald (Allegheny County Portion), Moon Township, Mt. Lebanon, North Fayette Township, Oakdale, Ohio Township, Pennsbury Village, Pleasant Hills, Robinson Township, Rosslyn Farms, Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills, South Fayette Township, South Park Township, Thornburg, Upper St. Clair Township and Whitehall.