Vicki Berger

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vicki Berger
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 20th District
In office 2003-current
Preceded by	Jackie Winters
Constituency	Marion County Polk County

Born	1949 Oregon
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Jerry Berger
Children	3
Residence	Salem, Oregon
Alma mater	University of Wyoming
Profession	Business person

Vicki Berger (born 1949) is an American business person and politician in the state of Oregon. A native Oregonian, she is a Salem civic leader and a Republican member of the Oregon House of Representatives. Her father came up with the idea for the Oregon Bottle Bill.

1 Early life
2 Civic leader
3 Political career
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Early life

Born Vicki Chambers in 1949, she was the youngest of three children of Richard Chambers.^[1] In 1967, she graduated from South Salem High School in the state’s capital city before she married Jerry Berger in 1969.^[2] The couple would have three children, and she earned a bachelors of arts degree in anthropology in 1974 from the University of Wyoming.^[2]

From 1972 to 1975, Berger worked as a bailiff for the county court. She would teach racquetball at Chemeketa Community College in the early 1980s and then as a project manager for a local manufacturing company from 1988 to 1995. That year she became a franchisee of a Lazerquick copy shop in West Salem, retaining ownership until 2000.^[2]

[edit] Civic leader

In 1985, she joined the board of the Salem YMCA where she remained until 1998.^[3] From 1995 to 1998 she served as that organization’s first female president.^[2] Berger was on the Salem-Keizer School District board from 1988 to 1992 and helped lead the campaign for a bond measure for capital improvements in what is the state's second largest school district.^[3] In 2001, along with her husband, she shared the award as First Citizens from the local chamber of commerce.^[2]

[edit] Political career

In August 2001, Berger announced she would run for a seat in the Oregon House of Representatives.^[2] In the May 2002, primary she defeated Greg Warnock and Irv Blake to win the Republican nomination.^[4] Berger defeated Democrat Lloyd Kumley in the November general election with 13,408 votes to 7,884.^[5] She joined the House beginning with the 2003 session representing District 20, which spans parts of Polk and Marion counties.^[6]

After running unopposed in the May 2004 primary,^[7] she beat Democrat Jeanne E. Deane 17,595 votes to 11,400 votes in general election.^[8] Berger again ran without competition in the Republican primary in 2006,^[9] and then beat her Democratic Party opponent Connie Garcia, collecting 13,382 votes to Garcia’s 9,040.^[10] During the 2007 to 2008 legislature she served on the Revenue Committee.^[11] In 2007, she worked to pass legislation to amend the Oregon Bottle Bill to require deposits on water bottles.^[12]^[13] Her father, Richard Chambers, was the person responsible for proposing the original bill that passed the Oregon Legislature in 1971.^[13]

She was the first Republican in the House to vote in favor of an increase in the tax on cigarettes to pay for more health insurance of children in 2007.^[1] Seeking a fourth term in 2008, Berger was unopposed in the May primary,^[14] and then defeated Richard Riggs in the November election to win another term. Her district covers parts of Salem, Independence, and Monmouth, and switched from a primarily Republican district to a primarily Democratic district in 2008.^[15] Berger is considered a moderate Republican whose votes are occasionally inline with the Democrats.^[1] Berger calls herself a fiscally conservative and business-oriented politician.^[16]

[edit] External links

Vicki Berger – Oregon House of Representatives

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c Cole, Michelle. “In Salem, moderate + Republican = power”, The Oregonian, March 5, 2007, A1.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Wong, Peter. “Berger to run for seat in House”, Statesman Journal, August 21, 2001, p. 3C.
^ ^a ^b “Vicki Berger”, Statesman Journal, October 11, 2004, p. 4C.
^ Election Division: May 21, 2002 Primary Election. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on November 11, 2008.
^ Election Division: November 5, 2002 General Election Abstract of Votes. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on November 11, 2008.
^ 2003 Regular Session (72nd). Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on November 11, 2008.
^ Election Division: May 18, 2004, Primary Election Abstract of Votes. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on November 11, 2008.
^ Election Division: November 2, 2004, General Election Abstract of Votes. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on November 11, 2008.
^ Election Division: May 16, 2006, Primary Election Abstract of Votes. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on November 11, 2008.
^ Election Division: November 7, 2006, General Election Abstracts of Votes. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on November 11, 2008.
^ Wong, Peter. “Forecast: No kicker in' 09, but no budget cuts either”, Statesman Journal, May 30, 2008, p. 1.
^ Mooallem, Jon. “The Unintended Consequences of Hyperhydration”, The New York Times, May 27, 2007, Magazine, p. 30.
^ ^a ^b Casper, Beth. “Governor signs two bills to keep Oregon's 'green' reputation intact”, Statesman Journal, June 8, 2007, p. 1.
^ “Oregon primary election results”, Statesman Journal, May 25, 2008, p. 10.
^ Wong, Peter. “Democrats have edge in race for District 20”, Statesman Journal, September 28, 2008, p. 1.
^ Wong, Peter. “House District 20 candidates focus on education issues”, Statesman Journal, September 28, 2006, p. 1.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicki_Berger"