Steve Hilton Vows to Slash California Taxes in First Act as Gov
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton pledges to launch a $100 million fraud investigation targeting former Governor Gavin Newsom over alleged $425 billion in losses if elected.
The investigation, detailed in a draft executive order obtained by the outlet, would scrutinize what Hilton characterizes as $425 billion in fraudulent losses under Newsom’s watch and former Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Hilton’s planned order describes the matter as one of the greatest public integrity failures in California history, citing alleged fraud, waste, abuse, corruption and mismanagement of taxpayer funds.
$100 Million Strike Force Proposed
The Republican candidate intends to allocate $100 million toward creating the California Taxpayer Fraud Strike Force, a statewide body tasked with investigating spending on homelessness programs, Medi-Cal, public assistance contracts, and areas flagged by the state auditor.
The Strike Force’s priority mission would examine whether Newsom and Bonta’s conduct over the past five years constitutes criminal negligence, particularly whether their actions or inaction enabled fraud to persist despite warnings from auditors and oversight bodies.
Final Push Before Primary Election
The announcement arrives days before California’s primary election as candidates deliver closing arguments to voters, as New York Post reports.
Beyond the fraud investigation, Hilton has rolled out his Cal-Affordable agenda aimed at slashing the state’s cost of living. Speaking with Billy Bush over the weekend, Hilton outlined tax-free income up to $100,000, $3 gasoline, halved electricity bills, and affordable homeownership.
Energy and Gas Price Reforms
Californians currently pay approximately 33 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity, nearly double the national average, according to federal energy data.
Hilton attributes inflated energy costs to clean energy mandates including Renewable Energy Credits and the Renewable Portfolio Standard. He has vowed to scrap wind and solar subsidies and mandates, prioritizing natural gas and nuclear power instead.
His gas price plan includes eliminating the cap-and-trade system, suspending the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, cutting the 60-cent-per-gallon gas tax by half, and expanding domestic oil production.
Housing and Regulatory Relief
On housing affordability, a critical voter concern, Hilton blames Democratic regulations for driving up construction costs. He promises to cut red tape and fees while fast-tracking approval processes for starter home developments.
The Trump-endorsed candidate told the podcast he plans to embed these reforms directly into the state budget and push the legislature for immediate action.
Tight Race Heading Into Primary
Recent polling from the California Post shows Hilton tied with Democrat Tom Steyer at 25 percent, while Xavier Becerra, who served as Health and Human Services secretary under the Biden administration, trails at 19 percent.
Other surveys list Becerra as the frontrunner, with Hilton and Steyer behind.
Voters head to the polls Tuesday to determine whether California remains under Democratic control or elects its first Republican governor in over two decades.
With information from New York Post
