Vicki Berger
Encyclopedia
Vicki Berger is an American businessperson 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
.
in the state’s capital city before she married Jerry Berger in 1969. The couple would have three children, and she earned a bachelors of arts degree in anthropology
in 1974 from the University of Wyoming
.
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.
where she remained until 1998. From 1995 to 1998 she served as that organization’s first female president. 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. In 2001, along with her husband, she shared the award as First Citizens from the local chamber of commerce.
. In the May 2002, primary she defeated Greg Warnock and Irv Blake to win the Republican nomination. Berger defeated Democrat Lloyd Kumley in the November general election with 13,408 votes to 7,884. She joined the House beginning with the 2003 session representing District 20, which spans parts of Polk
and Marion
counties.
After running unopposed in the May 2004 primary, she beat Democrat Jeanne E. Deane 17,595 votes to 11,400 votes in general election. Berger again ran without competition in the Republican primary in 2006, and then beat her Democratic Party opponent Connie Garcia, collecting 13,382 votes to Garcia’s 9,040. During the 2007 to 2008 legislature she served on the Revenue Committee. In 2007, she worked to pass legislation to amend the Oregon Bottle Bill
to require deposits on water bottles. Her father, Richard Chambers, was the person responsible for proposing the original bill that passed the Oregon Legislature
in 1971.
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. Seeking a fourth term in 2008, Berger was unopposed in the May primary, 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. Berger is considered a moderate Republican whose votes are occasionally inline with the Democrats. Berger calls herself a fiscally conservative and business-oriented politician. In 2008, she became the first person in the Oregon House to be cross-nominated by the Independent Party of Oregon
.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A native Oregonian, she is a Salem
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
civic leader and a Republican member of the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
. Her father came up with the idea for the Oregon Bottle Bill
Oregon Bottle Bill
The Oregon Bottle Bill is container-deposit legislation passed in the U.S. state of Oregon in 1971 and amended in 2007. It requires cans, bottles, and other containers of carbonated soft drink, beer, and water sold in Oregon to be returnable with a minimum refund value...
.
Early life
Born Vicki Chambers in 1949, she was the youngest of three children of Richard Chambers. In 1967, she graduated from South Salem High SchoolSouth Salem High School
South Salem High School was the second public high school built in Salem, Oregon, in 1954, at which time the former Salem High School was renamed North Salem High School.-History:...
in the state’s capital city before she married Jerry Berger in 1969. The couple would have three children, and she earned a bachelors of arts degree in anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
in 1974 from the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
.
From 1972 to 1975, Berger worked as a bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
for the county court. She would teach racquetball at Chemeketa Community College
Chemeketa Community College
Chemeketa Community College is a community college located in Salem, Oregon, with smaller campuses in McMinnville, Dallas, Brooks, and Woodburn, and the Northwest Viticulture Center in Eola...
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.
Civic leader
In 1985, she joined the board of the Salem YMCAYMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
where she remained until 1998. From 1995 to 1998 she served as that organization’s first female president. Berger was on the Salem-Keizer School District
Salem-Keizer School District
Salem-Keizer School District is a school district in the U.S. state of Oregon that serves the cities of Salem and Keizer. It is the second-largest school district in the state with more than 40,000 students and nearly 4,000 full-time equivalent employees...
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. In 2001, along with her husband, she shared the award as First Citizens from the local chamber of commerce.
Political career
In August 2001, Berger announced she would run for a seat in the Oregon House of RepresentativesOregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
. In the May 2002, primary she defeated Greg Warnock and Irv Blake to win the Republican nomination. Berger defeated Democrat Lloyd Kumley in the November general election with 13,408 votes to 7,884. She joined the House beginning with the 2003 session representing District 20, which spans parts of Polk
Polk County, Oregon
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The county is named for James Knox Polk, the 11th president of the United States. In 2010, its population was 75,403. The seat of the county is Dallas....
and Marion
Marion County, Oregon
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was originally named the Champooick District, after Champoeg, a meeting place on the Willamette River. On September 3, 1849, the territorial legislature renamed it in honor of Francis Marion, a Continental Army general of the...
counties.
After running unopposed in the May 2004 primary, she beat Democrat Jeanne E. Deane 17,595 votes to 11,400 votes in general election. Berger again ran without competition in the Republican primary in 2006, and then beat her Democratic Party opponent Connie Garcia, collecting 13,382 votes to Garcia’s 9,040. During the 2007 to 2008 legislature she served on the Revenue Committee. In 2007, she worked to pass legislation to amend the Oregon Bottle Bill
Oregon Bottle Bill
The Oregon Bottle Bill is container-deposit legislation passed in the U.S. state of Oregon in 1971 and amended in 2007. It requires cans, bottles, and other containers of carbonated soft drink, beer, and water sold in Oregon to be returnable with a minimum refund value...
to require deposits on water bottles. Her father, Richard Chambers, was the person responsible for proposing the original bill that passed the Oregon Legislature
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
in 1971.
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. Seeking a fourth term in 2008, Berger was unopposed in the May primary, and then defeated Richard Riggs in the November election to win another term. Her district covers parts of Salem, Independence
Independence, Oregon
Independence is a city in Polk County, Oregon, United States, on the west bank of the Willamette River along Oregon Route 51, and east of nearby Monmouth. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and Monmouth
Monmouth, Oregon
- History :Monmouth was settled in 1853 by a group of pioneers who made a point of allocating to build both a city and a "college under the auspices of the Christian Church" and proceeds from the sale of these lands were used to found Monmouth University. By the early 1880s the college fell on...
, and switched from a primarily Republican district to a primarily Democratic district in 2008. Berger is considered a moderate Republican whose votes are occasionally inline with the Democrats. Berger calls herself a fiscally conservative and business-oriented politician. In 2008, she became the first person in the Oregon House to be cross-nominated by the Independent Party of Oregon
Independent Party of Oregon
The Independent Party of Oregon is a political party in the U.S. state of Oregon. The IPO is Oregon's third-largest political party and the largest minor party of the state, with 68,516 registrants since its inception in January 2007 making up 3.37% of Oregon's registered voters...
.
External links
- Vicki Berger – Oregon House of Representatives