Bert A. Betts, Former California Treasurer, Dies at 90

SAN FRANCISCO - Bert A. Betts, California's state treasurer from 1959 to 1967, died on Wednesday in Sacramento. He was 90.

Betts, a Democrat, was elected to the position in 1958 and served two terms while Pat Brown was governor.

During his time as treasurer, Betts secured savings for California by encouraging competitive bidding in the state's bond sales, his son Bruce Betts told the Sacramento Bee.

Bruce Betts also said his father posted a solid track record investing the state's money and was very driven to do the right thing.

Betts left the state treasurer's office after losing his 1966 bid for a third term in the election that swept Pat Brown out of the governor's office in favor of Ronald Reagan.

After he left public office, Betts created Bert A. Betts and Associates, a Sacramento-based business that provided bond consulting from three offices across the West Coast.

Betts was born in La Mesa, Calif. in 1923 and graduated from California Western University in 1950. He was a bomber pilot for the Army Air Force, flying 30 missions over Europe during World War II. He received several accolades for his service, including the Distinguished Flying Cross.

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