Former Culver City Mayor Appointed DMV Head
SACRAMENTO — Former Culver City mayor Steven Gourley received final confirmation as director of the Department of Motor Vehicles on Thursday. The full state Senate voted 28-0 to approve Gourley’s appointment, which had been complicated by a court battle over the state’s right to charge disabled drivers a $6 fee for their blue parking placards.
Gov. Gray Davis announced in June that he would end the placard fight, but state lawyers have yet to reach a settlement with the plaintiffs who originally challenged the fee.
The impasse spurred advocates of rights for the disabled to oppose confirmation of Gourley, who was appointed by Davis nearly a year ago.
Senate President Pro Tem John L. Burton (D-San Francisco) delayed Gourley’s confirmation over the issue. But after a stern warning that the placard matter needed to be settled soon, Burton voted Wednesday with Rules Committee members 5-0 to approve Gourley, paving the way for the Senate’s Thursday vote.
A lawyer specializing in corporate securities and finance, Gourley served both as mayor and a member of the Culver City Council from 1988 to 1996. As DMV director, he earns a salary of $112,870.
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