Steve Hilton Vows to Defund California Energy Commission Over Controversial New Tire Rules
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is promising to strip funding from the California Energy Commission after the agency approved sweeping new efficiency standards that could restrict which replacement tires motorists are allowed to purchase in the state.
Hilton announced his position Thursday while protesting the new regulations, making the tire mandate another centerpiece of his campaign against what he describes as excessive Sacramento bureaucracy. The former Fox News host is running for governor as California prepares to choose a successor to term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The California Energy Commission unanimously approved the Replacement Tire Efficiency Program earlier this week. The rules establish minimum standards based on rolling resistance, or the amount of energy required to keep a tire moving, with regulators arguing that more efficient tires will reduce gasoline and electricity consumption.
The first phase of the regulations is scheduled to take effect in 2029, with tougher requirements following in 2033. Tire manufacturers have warned that the stricter phase could make a substantial share of products currently sold in California ineligible for sale. Goodyear representatives estimated that roughly 70% of its current replacement tires could fail to comply with the 2033 standard.
Hilton has seized on those warnings as evidence that California regulators are once again making everyday life more expensive and complicated. He argues that unelected officials should not be deciding which tires residents can purchase and says the Energy Commission has accumulated far too much regulatory power.
The Republican candidate is now promising to go beyond simply reversing the tire regulations if elected. Hilton says he would target the California Energy Commission itself, using the governor’s budgetary authority and working with lawmakers to defund an agency he believes is responsible for driving up costs throughout the state.
California regulators strongly dispute the criticism surrounding the tire program. Energy Commission Chairman David Hochschild has argued that the standards are intended to protect consumers by reducing long-term fuel and electricity expenses rather than simply imposing another environmental mandate.
The commission estimates compliant tires could save motorists money over their lifespan while adding relatively little to their upfront purchase price. Officials have also rejected suggestions that the standards would necessarily compromise tire safety or performance, arguing that qualifying products are already available.
Manufacturers remain concerned about the practical effects. Beyond potentially eliminating existing models from California’s market, industry representatives have warned that manufacturers could face significant costs redesigning tires to comply with increasingly stringent efficiency requirements.
Several categories of tires will be exempt, including snow tires, used and retreaded tires, certain off-road tires, motorcycle tires and tires used by emergency vehicles. The regulations trace their authority to legislation enacted more than two decades ago directing the commission to develop replacement-tire efficiency standards.
Hilton is nevertheless portraying the issue as symbolic of a much broader problem with California government. His campaign has emphasized lowering gasoline, electricity, housing and other living costs while reducing regulations he believes have made California increasingly unaffordable.
The tire controversy now gives Hilton a concrete example to take to voters. Rather than promising merely to repeal one unpopular regulation, he is threatening the future funding of the agency responsible for it, setting up another major fight over California’s environmental and energy policies in the race for governor.