Hilton Offers $3 Gas in Fresno County, Proposes Registration Fee Cap Days Before Governor Vote
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton held a campaign event Thursday at the Loma Vista Travel Plaza in Fresno County, offering gasoline at $3 per gallon to 150 drivers. Hilton’s campaign paid the difference to reach that price, according to sources cited in the material. The event took place days before the November 3rd general election.
Hilton described the promotion as a preview of what voters could expect under his policies if elected governor. He said he would work to permanently lower fuel costs by reducing what he describes as “hidden gas taxes,” easing regulations, and increasing California oil production.
“The gas tax itself, you’re right. That needs legislation. Those other three things: the hidden gas taxes, the regulations, and the California production. All three of those, I can do,” Hilton said.
Vehicles lined up at the station. Driver Charlotte said, “The way everything is right now, we’re either debating putting gas, or buying food, or paying my bills, or paying rent.” Lorna, from a family of six, said, “The cost of things, sporting events, it’s a lot harder for us to be able to get to where we gotta go if we’re paying the price that we are.”
Hilton also promoted a proposal to cap vehicle registration fees at $73. When asked how the state would offset the lost revenue and whether taxpayers could face higher costs elsewhere, Hilton pointed to a budget restructuring plan. “We’ve set out a plan, actually, to increase the budget of the California Highway Patrol and transfer it to the general fund,” he said.
Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra’s campaign issued a statement in response: “Donald Trump keeps driving up costs, and his lapdog Steve Hilton keeps applauding. Xavier Becerra spent the last decade making health care and prescription drugs more affordable. Becerra is ready to lead California forward.”
New polling from the Public Policy Institute of California showed Becerra leading Hilton among likely voters statewide. Hilton said, “I think there’s something happening that the polls aren’t picking up, but it’s not gonna happen unless people vote.”
The Breakdown
- Hilton held a campaign event offering gasoline at $3 per gallon, subsidized by his campaign, to 150 drivers at a Fresno County gas station.
- He proposes to permanently lower fuel costs by reducing what he calls “hidden gas taxes,” easing regulations, and increasing California oil production — three changes he says do not require legislative approval.
- He proposes capping vehicle registration fees at $73, with the lost revenue offset by restructuring: increasing the California Highway Patrol budget and transferring it to the general fund.
- Polling from the Public Policy Institute of California shows his opponent, Democrat Xavier Becerra, leading among likely voters statewide.
What This Means for You
The November 3rd election will decide which candidate’s approach to cost-of-living issues — fuel prices, vehicle registration fees, state budget priorities — becomes state policy. The gap in the polls means turnout matters: Hilton himself acknowledged that his chances depend on whether voters show up.
What You Can Do
The general election is November 3rd.
What to Watch
Hilton’s plan depends on three unverifiable claims. First, that “hidden gas taxes” are a distinct, removable cost separate from the stated gas tax. The material does not define what these are, what legal authority would remove them, or how much prices would actually fall. Second, that the governor can unilaterally ease regulations and increase California oil production without legislative approval. The material provides no legal analysis of that authority. Third, that transferring the California Highway Patrol budget to the general fund would offset the revenue lost from capping registration fees at $73. The material states no dollar figure for either the current registration revenue or the CHP budget, and does not explain how moving one budget line replaces lost income.
The Democratic response attacks Hilton’s alignment with Donald Trump rather than addressing the specific proposals on fuel costs or registration fees. No independent cost estimate, legal review, or revenue-impact analysis appears in the material for either candidate’s plan. A voter weighing these proposals has no documented basis to confirm what either would actually cost or deliver.
