Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Government Officials Trim Cell Phone Use

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 16:05:28 -0500

States, Municipalities Seek to Cut Cell Phone Bills

States and municipalities are looking to cut their cell phone bills as part of their
efforts to close budget gaps. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has asked
state workers to lower their cell phone use by 15 percent. Pennsylvania seeks
to cut its cell phone bill by $1 million, while Maryland plans to get new bids for
cell phone service contracts. Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri is studying
ways to cut the state's $270,000 cell phone bill. In San Joaquin County, Calif.,
local government employees are giving up some cell phone service, and the
Albuquerque, N.M. Public School District is attempting to cut its $250,000 cell
phone bill in half.

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Government Officials Trim Cell Phone Use

AccountingWEB US - Mar-24-2003 - Like many other state governors, Gov. Jennifer Granholm
of Michigan is facing a state deficit. Ms. Granholm needs to eliminate a $158 million
shortfall in the $8.9 billion general budget. Cost-cutting measures include decreasing the
state’s motor fleet, eliminating color copying, and turning lights off in state buildings
at night. Ms. Granholm is also asking state employees to lower their cell phone use by 15
percent, for a saving of $150,000.

Michigan isn’t alone in telling employees it’s time to limit using cell phones. As state
and local municipalities across the country face budget woes, officials are analyzing cell
phone use. Pennsylvania officials want to slash the state’s bill for 5,000 cell phones by
$1 million while later this year, Maryland will put its cell phones contracts up for
re-bid. An audit suggested that the state could save $500,000 a year by more scrutinizing
cell phone usage and paying closer attention to contract terms and excessive usage. In
Rhode Island officials in the executive branch have already turned back their cell phones
while Governor Donald Carcieri considers how to lower the state’s $270,000 cell phone
bill.

In budget-weary California, San Joaquin County Supervisor Steve Gutierrez is swapping his
cell phone for a pager, a move that could potentially save several hundred of dollars a
month. The county’s 6,500 employees have 1,300 cell phones and many of them are saying
bye-bye to their cell phones. County Administrator Manuel Lopez is giving up his cell
phone, opting to make calls from home or work rather than while in transit.

The Albuquerque Public School district hopes to cut its $250,000 annual cell phone bill in
half. To achieve that goal, district officials are asking principals to monitor phone
usage at their schools. In addition, the district is looking at excessive long-distance
charges and minutes.

http://www.accountingweb.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=97322

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From: "Mike Edwards" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 17:55:30 -0500

I still stand by my earlier statement that govt is notorius for having cell
phones on THE WORST POSSIBLE rate plans, at times still paying for airtime
by the min. with NO PLAN PEAK Mins. bundle
I say this because I have seen it time and time again
Mike
Oxford GA

----- Original Message -----
From: "Marcel" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 4:05 PM
Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Government Officials Trim Cell Phone Use

> Albuquerque, N.M. Public School District is attempting to cut its $250,000
cell
 Gov. Jennifer Granholm
> of Michigan is facing a state deficit. Ms. Granholm is also asking state
employees to lower their cell phone use by 15 percent, for a saving of
$150,000.
>
> Michigan isn't alone in telling employees it's time to limit using cell
phones. As state
> phone use. Pennsylvania officials want to slash the state's bill for 5,000
cell phones by
> while Governor Donald Carcieri considers how to lower the state's $270,000
cell phone
> month. The county's 6,500 employees have 1,300 cell phones and many of
them are saying
> half.