Jerry Brown Confiscates 48,000 Cell Phones

Hugh Pickens writes "The Sacramento Bee reports that California Governor Jerry Brown, in his first executive order since taking office, has ordered the collection and return of 48,000 state government-paid cell phones — half of those now in use — by June 1. 'It is difficult for me to believe that 40 percent of all state employees must be equipped with taxpayer-funded cell phones,' says Brown in a written statement. '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 cell phones, but the current number of phones out there is astounding.' Brown's cell phone order directs state agency and department heads to retrieve the cell phones and the governor says he plans to continue reducing cell phone usage in months ahead. 'In the face of a multi-billion dollar budget deficit, a cell phone may not seem like a big expense,' adds Brown. 'But spending $20 million, and perhaps far more than that, on cell phones can't be justified.'"

Better check the contracts

[slapout]

Early termination fees may be more than $20 million....

Re:finally some common sense being applied

[PopeRatzo]

taxpayers don't need to be paying for a DMV clerk's cell phone

Nice one. You have any reason to believe that "DMV clerks" were getting taxpayer-funded cell phones?

There are a few that it makes sense for, people in upper management positions

And why can't "upper management" pay for their own cell phones? Why shouldn't McDonald's employees be expected to pay for their own training? As a customer of your company, why should I be expected to pay for your health insurance?

See the United States commit mass suicide by "free market".

Re:PLEASE -- take it !

[Minwee]

Then I wouldn't have to handle out-of-hours calls! For free (I'm exempt staff).

Just practice saying these phrases and you should be able to manage after-hours calls a little better:

"Really? Uh huh? Okay, I'll get right on that when I get into the office tomorrow."

"Oh, there's an emergency? You'd better call someone about it. Let me know how it went on Monday."

"Great, send me an email explaining everything you just said and I'll take a look at it in the morning."

"You have reached your name here. I'm not in the office right now so please leave a message. *BEEP*"

Virgin birth

[tepples]

If you want to continue this religion angle, let's bring in virgin birth:

How do you get around the simple fact that abstinence works 100% every time it is used?

It didn't work for Joe and Mary Christ,* two Jews living in Nazareth back in the single digits BC. Before Mary lost her virginity, they had a boy named Josh, who became known to the Greeks and Romans as Jesus. But on second thought, considering significant figures, you're probably right.

* Changed for comic effect.