Hilton Uses Halloween Costume to Attack Becerra’s Mileage Tax Stance

Steve Hilton wore a mask resembling Xavier Becerra at a children’s Halloween event in Highland Park on October 31, using the costume to criticize the Democratic candidate’s openness to charging drivers based on miles traveled. Hilton handed out candy and joked that voting for Becerra would mean parents paid for every mile they drove.

Becerra, campaigning in Sacramento, dismissed the disguise and said Hilton was masking his ties to President Donald Trump. Becerra has said California must find ways to pay for roads, bridges and transit as electric vehicles reduce gas-tax revenue. He said decisions would involve the Legislature and public input.

Becerra’s campaign said he had not put forward a mileage tax. In an earlier interview, however, he said all options should be considered. Hilton’s stunt focused on the possibility of a new charge, while Becerra’s comments described it as one option in discussions about transportation funding.

Recent polls cited in the campaign coverage put Becerra at least 20 points ahead, with one account describing Hilton as trailing by as much as 27 points. Hilton called polls showing him behind “establishment polls” and said he believed there was support for change. The candidates are vying to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is barred from another term, in the November 3 election.

Hilton has campaigned on lowering gas prices and cutting taxes, while criticizing California’s cost of living and high-speed rail project. Becerra has also campaigned for Democratic congressional candidates, linking the race to opposition to Trump’s policies. The contest is taking place in a state that has not elected a Republican governor since 2006.

Hilton’s Mileage-Tax Costume Targets a Funding Debate California Must Face

Steve Hilton turned a children’s Halloween event into an attack on Xavier Becerra, dressing as the Democratic candidate and warning that drivers could face a charge for each mile they travel. The stunt turns an unsettled transportation-funding question into a campaign scare, even as Becerra’s campaign says he has not proposed such a tax.

Becerra has said every option should be considered as California looks for ways to pay for roads, bridges and transit when more drivers use electric vehicles and contribute less through the gas tax. He said the details should be worked out with the Legislature and communities. That is a debate about how to sustain public infrastructure, not proof that a mileage fee is already Becerra’s plan.

At a Sacramento event, Becerra countered by portraying Hilton as a stand-in for President Donald Trump. Becerra has also been campaigning for Democrats in competitive House races, making opposition to Trump part of his appeal to voters.

Hilton is making taxes and California’s cost of living central to his campaign, while Becerra is defending a role for public funding and presenting the race as a choice over how the state responds to Trump. Polls cited in the campaign coverage show Becerra well ahead. The candidates face voters on November 3, seeking to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Hilton’s Halloween Stunt Spotlights Becerra’s Openness to Driver Tax

Steve Hilton used a Halloween appearance to put a simple question before California voters: should drivers pay a new charge based on how many miles they travel? Wearing a mask of Xavier Becerra, Hilton mocked the Democrat’s statement that all options should be considered for transportation funding.

Becerra says California needs money for roads, bridges and transit as electric vehicles mean less revenue from the gas tax. He has said the funding approach should be developed with lawmakers and communities. His campaign says he has not proposed a mileage tax. But Hilton’s attack highlights the stakes of leaving that option open: Californians already worried about living costs could face another expense on the road.

Hilton has made lower gas prices and tax cuts central to his campaign, criticizing Democratic leadership over affordability and the state’s high-speed rail project. Becerra’s broader campaign has emphasized resistance to Trump’s policies and included stops for Democratic congressional candidates.

Becerra leads Hilton by at least 20 points in recent polls cited in the campaign coverage, while Hilton has dismissed polls showing a large gap as establishment surveys and says he sees an opening for change. The November 3 contest will decide who succeeds term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. No Republican has won California’s governorship since 2006.