Virgil Bernero
Virgil Bernero | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mayor of Lansing | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Antonio Benavides |
| Member of the Michigan Senate from the 23rd district | |
| In office January 1, 2002 – January 1, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Joanne G. Emmons |
| Succeeded by | Gretchen Whitmer |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 68th district | |
| In office January 1, 2000 – January 1, 2002 | |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Teri Bernero |
| Children | Kelly, Virginia |
Virg Bernero is the current mayor of Lansing, Michigan, elected on November 8, 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to serving as mayor, Bernero served as a legislative aide, an Ingham County Commissioner and as a legislator in the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate. He is the Democratic nominee for Governor of Michigan in 2010.
Early life, education and career
Virg Bernero was born March 31, 1964 in Pontiac, Michigan in the Metro Detroit area. He was the youngest of five children born to Giulio, an Italian immigrant, and Virginia, a first generation Italian-American. Bernero has said that the diagnosis of schizophrenia of one of his brothers, and the death of another brother to AIDS in 1990 (on the same day he was elected to the Ingham County Commission) have helped to shape his life and politics.[1]
Bernero graduated from Waterford Mott High School in 1982, and from Adrian College in 1986, with a B.A. in political science. He is married to Teri Johnston, with whom he has two daughters, Kelly and Virginia.
In 2007, Bernero appeared in the documentary Fired! by Annabelle Gurwitch, who became famous after being fired from by Woody Allen under controversial circumstances.[citation needed] The film chronicles the experiences of individuals who have been fired from their jobs. In it, Bernero was interviewed about his efforts to pass a law that would make it illegal for Michigan employers to fire their workers at will or for "moral or ethical reasons." [citation needed]
Political career
Michigan State Representative
Bernero ran for and won a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives in 2000, serving one term before being elected to the Michigan State Senate in 2002.
Michigan State Senator
State Senator in 2005.
Mayor of Lansing
Became Lansing's mayor in 2005.
Bernero was re-elected as mayor of Lansing in November 2009, winning against opponent Carol Wood.[2]
Under Bernero's leadership, Lansing leveraged more than a half-billion dollars in new investment that created more than 6,000 jobs. Even in the face of serious revenue losses and rising costs, Bernero erased more than $40 million in city budget deficits without raising taxes by making government more efficient and more accountable. [3]
Campaign for Michigan Governor
Bernero officially announced his intention to run for Governor of Michigan on February 8, 2010.[4] On August 3, 2010, Bernero defeated primary challenger Andy Dillon by 90,326 votes or nearly 20 percentage points.[5]
See also
References
- ^ The Primary Prelude: Benavides, Bernero Test Voter Support, by Daniel Sturm & Berl Schwartz, published March 7, 2003
- ^ http://www.lansingmi.gov/Lansing/clerk/docs/20091103/Summary_Report.pdf
- ^ http://www.lansingedc.com
- ^ staff writers (February 8, 2010). "Virg Bernero officially kicks off Democratic bid for governor". mlive.com. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
- ^ staff writers (August 4, 2010). "Bernero vs. Snyder". Detroit Free Press freep.com. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
External links
- Lansing Mayor Virgil Bernero official city government site
- Virg Bernero for Governor official campaign site
- Template:GovLinks