By Lynn La, CalMatters
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.
Saying “enough is enough,” Steve Hilton said he wants to get rid of the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Rallying in front of a DMV office in West Hollywood on Tuesday, the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for governor said he wants to abolish the department by transferring its functions to a combination of online services and local county offices. If elected he would also cap the annual vehicle registration to a flat fee of $73.
The message has echoes of former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2003 campaign, when he blasted Twisted Sister’s “We’re not gonna take it” at rallies and rode Californians’ anger over former Gov. Gray Davis’ increase in vehicle license fees to victory.
Hilton said his push to shut down this “bloated, nanny state, bureaucratic agency” is part of his wider effort to make California more affordable. California is one of about 10 states that has its own standalone DMV, according to Hilton, and some vehicle registration fees can cost as much as $1,000.
Hilton: “You’re being ripped off by your government. They are gouging you with the DMV and vehicle registration. They charge the highest vehicle registration in the country for the worst roads in the country.”
Hilton also proposes to turn California’s nearly 170 DMV field offices into afterschool club facilities and skilled training centers.
Speaking of Hilton: The former Fox News host will face his Democratic opponent, Xavier Becerra, during an hourlong, televised CNN debate in Los Angeles on Sept. 30 at 6 p.m.
Hilton, who said he wants a series of debates, told reporters he’s “pleased that we’re finally going to get (Becerra) out of the basement,” in reference to Becerra having few public appearances since the June primary. This is the candidates’ first confirmed one-on-one debate.
This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.
