Story perspectives

Becerra Leads Hilton in $316M Race; LA Audit Launched

6/9/2026

Summary

Story summary

Steve Hilton asked Gavin Newsom to create a corps; the request was denied.
Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton advanced to the election, Becerra leading by under one percent in a $316 million race with over $200 million from Tom Steyer.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced a Los Angeles voter-roll audit amid a fraud probe while candidates proposed dropping private health insurance and a $100,000 income floor to address California’s high cost of living.

History

Historical Context

June 1978 voters approved Proposition 13, championed by Governor Ronald Reagan and anti-tax activist Howard Jarvis, cutting California property taxes about 57% and trimming annual revenue by $7.5 billion. The measure spurred the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, which defended the law in the 1992 Nordlinger v. Hahn Supreme Court case and later backed Proposition 218, cementing its influence on today’s fiscal debates.

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Story summary

Steve Hilton asked Gavin Newsom to create a corps; the request was denied.
Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton advanced to the election, Becerra leading by under one percent in a $316 million race with over $200 million from Tom Steyer.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced a Los Angeles voter-roll audit amid a fraud probe while candidates proposed dropping private health insurance and a $100,000 income floor to address California’s high cost of living.

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