Sen. Roblan brings vision for education, economic development to Salem, Jan. 10

News release Sen. Roblan’s Office.  Sen. Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay) took the oath of office Tuesday, Jan. 9, after winning re-election to continue serving Senate District 5. Representing the coast at the State Capitol, Roblan will continue working hard to promote his vision for education and economic development that benefits coastal Oregon, as well as the rest of the state. “I want to make clear that our priorities in the 79th Oregon Legislative Session are to create good jobs in our communities, while retaining the good jobs we already have,” Roblan said. “One key way to do that is by supporting our schools and educating our children, while still protecting and caring for our most vulnerable community members.” For this biennium, Roblan will serve as Chair of the Senate Education Committee, as well as on the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee and Senate Rules Committee. He also is a member of the budget-setting Joint Ways and Means Committee and serves on the Education Subcommittee. In those roles, Roblan stands to play an important role in improving education funding and support statewide, as well as to bring forward a coastal voice on natural resources issues vital to coastal and rural communities’ economies and quality of life. A long-time public servant, Roblan is bringing with him 34 years as an educator – having worked as a math teacher and ultimately elevating to the role of principal at Marshfield High School – as well as four terms as a state representative, including two terms as Co-Speaker, and one term as a state senator. He has received the Milken Education Award and been recognized as Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Oregon. Oregon Business Association once named him the Statesman of the Year. “We are facing many challenges as a state and I am looking forward to getting to work for the coast to make sure our kids are adequately educated for 21st-Century jobs,” Roblan said. “We also need to be committed to creating the family wage jobs our young people need to stay in our communities, or come back home to raise their families in the same communities where they grew up. The Oregon Coast is a great place to raise a family. All of us who live here know that. We just need the jobs to make that possible for more of our young people, and that’s what I’ll be working for in Salem.”