Gov. Brown strips cell phones from state employees

(01-11) 18:40 PST Oakland -- Gov. Jerry Brown issued his first executive order Tuesday, taking aim at a convenience that wasn't in vogue the last time he was the state's top official: cell phones.

The governor ordered state agency and department heads to collect half of the approximately 96,000 state-issued cell phones used by public employees, a move he said will save California at least $20 million a year. Brown also plans to return his own state-issued cell phone, said Evan Westrup, a spokesman for the governor.

Each cell phone costs an average of $36 a month, according to the governor's office.

"It is difficult for me to believe that 40 percent of all state employees must be equipped with taxpayer-funded cell phones," Brown said in a statement. "The current number of phones out there is astounding."

Carrier contracts

Brown said he would like to see the number of cell phones cut by 48,000 by June 1, but said it may take a bit longer because some of those devices may be under contracts with carriers. He noted that even with the reduction, one-fifth of state workers will still have cell phones.

While some employees may need cell phones, he said, "that still seems like too much, and I want every department and agency to examine and justify all cell phone usage."

Westrup said Sprint and Verizon are the state's primary wireless providers. A limited number of employees receive their service through other companies, but only if they work in areas of the state where Sprint and Verizon have coverage gaps. He said Brown plans to use his personal cell phone, because "the governor is committed to leading by example."

Some state workers said Tuesday they are happy about Brown's decision. Most public employees have seen their pay and benefits decreased recently, the result of deals struck between former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and their unions.

"I'm a taxpayer before I'm a state worker," said a woman who works for the Employment Development Department in Oakland and that asked her name be withheld for fear of retribution. "There's still a lot of waste here. I'd rather they take it away from the high-wage earners than the peons. We've been taking it for three years."

Linda Ortega, who evaluates disability forms for the social services office at the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building, also praised Brown's decision.

"Better their cell phones than our pay," said Ortega, who does not carry a state-issued cell phone. "In the big scheme of things, it's not that big of a deal. At least we still have jobs."

Upper-level managers

Her co-worker, Liz Bulkley - who also doesn't get a state-issued cell phone - said her office is already stripped to the barest essentials.

"The workload is overwhelming, but we're doing our best," she said. "I don't care about the cell phones. I'm just happy to be working."

The employees said most of the state workers who carry phones are in upper-level management.

California is facing an estimated $25.4 billion shortfall over the next 18 months, and Brown unveiled a budget proposal Monday that included deep cuts to social services and higher education, as well as the extension of some taxes that are set to expire this year.

He's also promised to root out waste through executive orders like the one issued Tuesday.

"In the face of a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, a cell phone may not seem like a big expense. But spending $20 million, and perhaps far more than that, on cell phones can't be justified," he said.

E-mail the writers at mlagos@sfchronicle.com and carolynjones@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page A - 6 of the San Francisco Chronicle