Steve Hilton Proposes Eliminating the ‘Symbol’ of California’s ‘Nanny State Bureaucracy’ — the DMV

The Republican gubernatorial candidate in California is unveiling a plan to abolish what he calls the symbol of the “nanny state bureaucracy:” the Department of Motor Vehicles.In a post on X on Tuesday, Steve Hilton wrote, “ABOLISH THE DMV!”“Californians can pay OVER $1,000 a year to register their cars — the highest rates in the country for the WORST roads. And we stand in line all day at the DMV just for the privilege. ENOUGH!” he said. “I’ll cap vehicle registration at the base fee of $73 and no SHUT DOWN this bloated, bureaucratic agency once and for all.”The Republican hopeful shared his plan online, noting that California’s budget allocates roughly $1.46 billion a year for the DMV, which he called a “huge, old-fashioned monopoly that treats the taxpayers who fund it with complete contempt.”Mr. Hilton expressed frustration that some transactions require California residents to travel to a DMV office and fit their visit “into the state’s schedule,” forcing them to “take time off work, arrange child care, miss appointments, and hope the person behind the counter can solve the problem that day.”Besides the issue of dealing with the DMV in person, Mr. Hilton also highlighted the cost of registering vehicles in California. His plan notes that the state has a base registration fee of $73, but that local surcharges can raise the cost to hundreds of dollars.Mr. Hilton’s proposal would see the state keep a “lean records and safety operation” and “issue state credentials, protect personal information, investigate fraud, and enforce safety rules.” His plan would have county offices handle registrations, license plates, and renewal transactions, and would implement a “flat $73 annual fee for every vehicle.”There are several states in America that leave vehicle registration and driver’s licenses up to county offices. However, Mr. Hilton would not be able to unilaterally abolish the DMV if he wins the governor’s mansion in November. Mr. Hilton noted that the DMV reports that there are roughly 36 million vehicles registered in California each year, which after all the fees, brings in roughly $11 billion in revenue. He said he would slash that income to $2.7 billion with his flat registration fee. The plan also calls for a reduction in spending.The Democratic candidate for governor, Xavier Becerra, raised doubts about Mr. Hilton’s plan, noting that it would require the approval of the Democrat-run legislature. A spokesman for Mr. Becerra told the Los Angeles Times, “You can’t spend a year calling Democrats a failure and then expect two-thirds of both chambers to take your calls. Steve is in for a very rude awakening, and the fact that he can’t see it coming just shows how little he understands the job he’s asking for.”While Mr. Hilton would need the legislature’s approval to abolish the DMV, he could issue an executive order to lower the vehicle registration fee. In 2003, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an order repealing a 300 percent increase in the registration fee shortly after he took office. Mr. Hilton appears to have an uphill climb to even get to a position of trying to abolish the DMV. A UC Berkeley/IGS/Los Angeles Times poll released last month found Mr. Becerra leading Mr. Hilton 55 percent to 37 percent.

Steve Hilton Proposes Eliminating the ‘Symbol’ of California’s ‘Nanny State Bureaucracy’ — the DMV

Steve Hilton Proposes Eliminating the ‘Symbol’ of California’s ‘Nanny State Bureaucracy’ — the DMV

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