No one would argue that former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had a passion for women’s . . . issues.

But throughout his seven-year tenure, Arnold never made a serious and sustained effort to terminate the state’s Commission on the Status of Women.

Let’s be real – it was sheer political expediency:  By not messing with the Commission he didn’t risk raising “the woman issue” and the charges of sexual harassment that nearly derailed his first political campaign.

Under the previous Administration of Governor Davis, the Commission was an active part of a coalition that successfully worked to pass landmark legislation on paid family leave, which Governor Davis signed.

But before Davis, the Commission survived 16 years of Governors George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson, with tepid support and limited accomplishments.

Survival came at a cost:  White glove advocacy and don’t-make-waves board members combined to create a cautious organizational culture more committed to maintaining the status quo than shaking it up.

Which makes Jerry Brown’s recent budget proposal to cut the Commission all the more perplexing.

With an opportunity of nearly four years or more to rejuvenate the Commission with gubernatorial appointments and policy priorities, it’s surprising that the Governor isn’t planning to reshape the Commission to be a strategic ally both within state government and throughout California.

It’s not like there isn’t work to be done.  Women still earn significantly less than men.  The confusing patchwork of programs we call our child care system needs to be sorted out.  Women’s health services need to be safeguarded as California implements national health care reform measures.  We could do more to improve collection of child support.

And as we all know, sexual harassment cases still dominate the headlines.

With so much unfinished work to improve the status of women, it continues to make programmatic sense to use a gender lens to effectively target services and set priorities.

For Governor Brown, it also makes political sense in a state where most voters are Democrats, most women are Democrats, and most Democrats are women.

Imagine, if instead of proposing to cut the Commission to save a few hundred thousand dollars of the state’s $116 billion budget, Governor Brown insisted on a strong Commission with a strategic agenda to raise up the status of women.

Women’s issues would have a champion within the state’s departments and agencies, an advocate in the Legislature, and a stronger voice in the media.

Late last month, budget sub-committees in both the Assembly and Senate rejected the Governor’s recommendation to ax the Commission.

While this is a step in the right direction, what we need is a serious and sustained effort to improve the status of women.   Governor Brown needs to keep, not cut, the Commission on the Status of Women – and show us what it really means to have a passion for women’s issues.