Jerry Brown will disconnect 48,000 cell phones

[SassyLady]

Well, this is a great first step!!!


Governor to disconnect 48,000 cellphones in hands of state workers [Updated]
January 11, 2011 | 11:09 am


Alarmed at discovering that the state pays for 96,000 cellphones, Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order Tuesday seeking to cut in half the number of devices being billed to taxpayers.

Requiring 48,000 cellphones to be turned in by June 1 will save the state about $20 million a year.

“It is difficult for me to believe that 40% of all state employees must be equipped with taxpayer-funded cellphones,” Brown said. “Some state employees, including department and agency executives who are required to be in touch 24 hours a day and seven days a week, may need cellphones, but the current number of phones out there is astounding.”


http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2011/01/governor-seeks-to-hang-up-half-of-96000-cell-phones-in-hands-of-state-workers.html

[actsnoblemartin]

I applaud him for this

[logroller]

My mom met him when he was governor before; riding in coach on a commuter airline. She went up to him and introduced herself and he spent the entire flight talking with her about her opinions on education (her field of expertise), she said he is the real deal; that he walks the walk. I'm hopeful for California's future and expect more positive changes are to come.:clap:

[logroller]

http://www.ocregister.com/news/tax-283719-brown-state.html

"Yesterday Governor Brown introduced his budget proposal for the next 18 months, and while I applaud him for identifying billions of dollars in cuts, the tax increases he has proposed to the income tax, sales tax, alternative minimum tax, and vehicle license fees are the wrong approach," wrote new Assemblyman Donald P. Wagner, R-Irvine, in a column published on the Flash Report, a conservative blog and news aggregator run by Orange County's Jon Fleischman.
"(T)ax increases are exactly the wrong 'solution' to our budget problem because, in fact, tax increases are no solution," Wagner wrote.


What this rookie perhaps fails to mention is most of these tax increases were already in effect under Arnold. Not quite sure what he means by tax increases not being a "solution", like a balanced budget can only be acheived by less spending and taxes increases don't close a budget gap, they only imply they do! Considering he's a lawyer, I must object to him drawing a conclusion where it doesn't exist.

[Trigg]

Well, this is a great first step!!!

A politican who actually looks for ways to decrease spending. GOOD FOR HIM!!

[gabosaurus]

My reaction is -- why only half of them? And why do so many city and state employees have fully funded vehicles? Some even have their own drivers.

[Mr. P]

Requiring 48,000 cellphones to be turned in by June 1
What's wrong with the end of this month?

[BoogyMan]

What's wrong with the end of this month?

I would bet that there are contractual obligations that would be quite expensive to run afoul of.

[Mr. P]

I would bet that there are contractual obligations that would be quite expensive to run afoul of.
Maybe so..

[hjmick]

Good idea. Should have happened long ago. Just hope he doesn't expect any of those 48,000 to accept calls regarding state business on their personal cell phones...