Sen. Tony Rand says state government needs to become more efficient.

At a budget discussion at Fayetteville Technical Community College Monday, the Senate majority leader said that state leaders will need to be more prudent given the current financial crisis, according to the Fayetteville Observer.

"We've thrown money away in the past," he said. "Now, we’re going to make sure we can justify every penny we spend."

State Republican leaders are sending a link to the story to reporters, pointing out Rand's comment. 

With typical Randian flair, he also compared trimming the state budget to "pruning orchards" in order to increase the yield.

FAYETTEVILLE—Kreston Thomas, a student at Fayetteville Technical Community College studying business administration, said it is "amazing" that Barack Obama visited the campus today.

"It's real good to have him here because you don't see (Hillary) Clinton around, or anybody else," Thomas, 28, said.

Thomas listened to the speech outside of the Tony Rand Student Center, where speakers had been set up so the students could listen to the candidate's speech.

He said he never heard Obama's exact policy in regard to Iraq until today, and after hearing it, he supports the Obama.

"It's like everybody's been waiting for that," Thomas said.

More after the jump.

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Barack Obama will not be doing a public event in Fayetteville tomorrow, but he still may make some news there.

The Obama presidential campaign just announced that the Illinois senator plans to give a "major" speech in Fayetteville on the war in Iraq and national security.

The morning event, at the Tony Rand Student Center at Fayetteville Technical Community College, will not be open to the public. It will be by invitation only, but will be open to press coverage.