Republican gubernatorial hopeful proposes scrapping California's DMV

During a rally in West Hollywood, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton presented a sweeping initiative to dismantle California's Department of Motor Vehicles. He described the DMV as a symbol of costly, inefficient government and pledged to cap vehicle registration fees at $73, a move he estimates will reduce state registration revenue by roughly $8.3 billion each year. To cover the shortfall, the proposal calls for cuts to state road expenditures and transfers DMV duties to local governments and vetted private operators.

Unused DMV facilities could be repurposed as vocational training centers or sold. Hilton also suggested limiting commercial driver’s licenses to foreign nationals who meet English-language standards. The plan is part of his broader "make California affordable" agenda ahead of the November 3 governor's race against Democratic nominee Xavier Becerra.