California Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Hilton Pledges to Eliminate Tolls on the Golden Gate Bridge

SAN FRANCISCO - Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton announced Wednesday that he would abolish tolls on the Golden Gate Bridge and other fully paid-off bridges if elected, funding maintenance instead through the state budget.

In a video posted to X from the bridge itself, Hilton said drivers currently pay over $10 to cross, "supposedly to cover its construction costs," but noted that the original $35 million in construction bonds were retired in 1971. "California politicians are GOUGING us," he wrote, promising to end such tolls on bridges already paid for.

Current Golden Gate Bridge tolls, effective July 1, 2026, stand at $10.25 for FasTrak users in two-axle vehicles, $10.50 for license plate accounts or one-time payments, and $11.25 for those billed by invoice. Carpools pay $8.25. Tolls are collected only in the southbound direction.

The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, an independent special district, uses roughly two-thirds of toll revenue for bridge operations, maintenance, and capital needs, with the remainder subsidizing regional bus and ferry services. The district does not receive dedicated state or local tax revenues and has implemented a multi-year schedule of 50-cent annual increases through 2028 amid post-pandemic traffic shortfalls and projected budget gaps.

Hilton linked the announcement to his campaign website, which outlines a broader affordability agenda that includes no state income tax on the first $150,000 of earnings, a push for $3-per-gallon gasoline through reduced taxes and regulations plus increased in-state oil production, and abolishing the DMV while capping vehicle registration at $73.

The former Fox News host and adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron is the Republican nominee facing Democrat Xavier Becerra in the November 3 general election. Hilton has trailed significantly in recent polls as he campaigns on reversing what he describes as high costs and bureaucratic burdens under longtime Democratic control of the state.

Hilton's proposal would shift maintenance costs for paid-off bridges onto the general state budget, a shift from the current self-funded model of the Golden Gate district. Critics of similar ideas have noted the revenue currently supports both the iconic span and related transit options that reduce congestion.