Putting groceries and gas on credit cards when your bank account is empty — I’ve been there.
I grew up in a family that struggled to make ends meet. My dad was a logger before becoming an electrician, and my mom was a waitress and then bookkeeper who ran our family’s small electrical business. We were fortunate to have stable housing, but there were definitely struggles to pay for food, doctors’ visits, new shoes and more. After college, my first job paid around $13,000 a year. So I know what it feels like to double check your bank account before buying groceries to see what you can afford to spend. Too many times, I just didn’t have enough and I had to put groceries and gas on a credit card because I simply couldn’t afford them. It took me nearly a decade to pay off that credit card debt.
Today, as a single mom, I know how quickly everyday expenses add up. I know what it feels like when back-to-school shopping, groceries, gas, child care and the unexpected expense you never saw coming all compete for the same dollars. That experience has shaped how I approach my job representing our community in the state Assembly: I’m focused on finding practical ways to put money back in people’s pockets and make household budgets a little more manageable.
One of the things I’m proudest of is the direct help our office has been able to provide to families. We have helped constituents navigate state programs and get money they were owed when bureaucratic delays stood between them and affording their rent, groceries or other basic expenses. In total, we have put nearly $4 million back in people’s pockets when they need it most.
In one case, a new mom had just $25 left in her bank account while waiting for her family leave benefits. Our office jumped in, and within days, thousands of dollars she was owed got deposited directly into her account.
Another constituent recently wrote to thank our office after she had been waiting months for a disability claim to be processed. She had been forced to dip into her retirement savings just to cover basic expenses. After our office contacted the Employment Development Department, their representative found the administrative problem and processed her authorization. Within days, she received her back-dated disability payments covering the entire period she had been waiting.
That is what action looks like to me: not just passing legislation to make life more affordable, which is also important, but making sure people can actually access the resources they are entitled to.
I’ve also worked on the larger policies that affect household budgets. We secured millions of dollars in direct relief for our communities, invested in food assistance, and worked to address the cost of gas, utilities and other necessities. I also go after the scammers and predators trying to take money out of your pocket. Whether it’s preying on veterans’ disability benefits or small businesses — I’ve authored bills to protect people, not predators’ profits.
I recently learned about a child care provider who thought she was taking out a loan at 13% — only to discover that the actual cost amounted to an astonishing 235% interest rate. I knew we needed stronger protections for small businesses and working people who are vulnerable to predatory lending.
As a mom, I also know that helping children succeed starts with making sure families have what they need. Every year, we provide backpacks, school supplies and other necessities to kids and families across our district. This year, we helped provide supplies to more children than ever, nearly 1,500 students, so they could walk into the classroom feeling confident, prepared and ready to learn.
And affordability challenges don’t end when you retire. Seniors are the fastest growing group finding themselves experiencing homelessness. They live on fixed incomes and are being squeezed by rising food, housing and health care costs. So we fought hard to secure over $400,000 in state funds to support our local senior center. These dollars bought large refrigeration to help serve more hot meals, vehicles to deliver 17,360 Meals on Wheels to seniors throughout our valley, as well as programs that help 140 low-income and senior neighbors with critical home repairs.
These are just a couple examples of how the $111 million I’ve secured to invest directly in our community is directly impacting people’s lives. But despite these investments and affordability bills being passed, things are still too expensive and too hard for too many. Grocery bills are still too high. Housing remains out of reach for too many families. Child care costs too much. And when I saw a box of my kids’ favorite cereal selling for $9, I had the same reaction so many parents have: How is a family supposed to keep up?
Sacramento has to do more, faster. And as the actions of the federal government — including cuts and policies that put additional pressure on health care, food assistance, and families — are making that work harder, I’m going to continue to fight for our community that has too often been unheard and overlooked.
I know what it means to struggle to make ends meet. I know what it means to be a single mom trying to give your kids everything they need. And I will keep bringing my experience and the many personal stories I hear from neighbors with me to Sacramento — fighting to lower costs, protect families, and make sure that when the government says help is available, people can actually get it.
Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, represents the 40th Assembly District, which includes most of the Santa Clarita Valley in addition to the northwest San Fernando Valley. “Democratic Voices” appears Tuesdays and rotates among local Democrats.
