John,

Growing up in a small studio apartment on the west side of San Francisco, with five siblings, everyone was expected to pitch in.

That was especially true for me as the second-eldest of the children.

As one of the first in my family to learn English, my parents entrusted me with managing the books for their dry cleaning business.

By the time I was eight, I was dealing with banks and suppliers, and had to make sure the numbers worked. If we couldn’t balance our finances well, that meant real losses for the family – one less carton of eggs, one less gallon of milk.

My story might be from decades ago, but far too many Californians are still living with that experience. After skyrocketing rents and rising cost of basic necessities, more and more people are fighting just to get to another week.

When I managed California’s budget and finances, I always remembered those days of my youth handling the books. It was a reminder that behind the numbers are real people.

I bring that with me every day, and it’s a mindset we need right now in our leadership – getting the most out of every dollar so we can create a California that adds up for everyone.

That belief has brought me here, but I’ll need your help to build this California for all of us:

Please chip in $3 to support my campaign. As we near our first major fundraising deadline in five weeks, your support now sends an important message that we are ready to build a California that adds up for all of us. Thank you.

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Sincerely,

Betty