Becerra and Hilton Clash Over California’s Affordability Crisis

Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton used a CNN debate Wednesday to clash over California’s cost of living, taxes, housing, artificial intelligence and immigration, with Becerra arguing Hilton’s proposals would produce outcomes similar to President Donald Trump’s policies and Hilton blaming the state’s Democratic leadership for its problems. The debate brought the candidates’ competing explanations for voters’ concerns into focus. Hilton said Democrats who control state government were responsible for making California unaffordable, while Becerra sought to connect Hilton to Trump and his policies. Hilton rejected the repeated comparisons and said his campaign offered a break from the state’s current direction. Affordability was a central point of disagreement. Hilton proposed eliminating state income taxes on the first $150,000 earned. Becerra argued the plan would disproportionately benefit wealthy residents and questioned its arithmetic. The debate account did not establish how the proposal would be financed or what its fiscal effects would be.