It's the Holy Grail of reformers and politicians, a seemingly oxymoronic two-word phrase that prompts cynics to sneer and fans the faint hopes of taxpayers:
"Government efficiency."
From the outset of his administration in fall 2003, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's rhetorical arsenal has consistently featured calls for making California's government leaner, more responsive and more citizen-friendly.
Even in the midst of the state's ongoing budget mess, Schwarzengger has continued his call for consolidating some state agencies and eliminating others.
In his revised budget proposal last month, the governor outlined changes for more than three dozen boards, departments and commissions, ranging from the Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine to the Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation.
"Let us use this crisis as an opportunity, as an opportunity for great changes, lasting changes," Schwarzenegger told a joint legislative session on June 2. "Let's think long-term and lay a new foundation for California's future."
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