Not surprisingly, most District residents prefer a lean, cost-effective government. The days when a job was guaranteed anyone who showed up at city hall have long passed. So, the idea of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty pushing to streamline operations using privatization or outsourcing isn’t some bugaboo.

What is riling many, however, is the way the mayor and his chief magician, City Administrator Dan Tangherlini, have decided to implement their plans to reduce the size of the District government. Quietly and seemingly without regard for the law, the duo has been pinching off pieces of the municipal portfolio and feeding them to private sector companies. If the 2010 budget is any indication, Fenty and his team are preparing an even larger meal.