In my last blog, I applauded California Governor Jerry Brown’s move to cut excess cell phones for state employees and suggested he look into auto usage as well. Now I find he has done just that.

His aim with cell phones was to eliminate just half of those being used, which he estimated could save the state $20 million annually.

Gov. Brown questioned the fact that 40 percent of all state employees—48,000 people—needed to be equipped with cell phones, paid for by the state.

Why 48,000 employees would need 24/7 usage is questionable. While it’s obvious that any emergency personnel would need access, many others, I suspect, do not.

In my blog, I questioned what other steps could be taken, and asked how many public sector employees really need automobiles, especially at home and over the weekend.

Happily Gov. Brown has taken on that issue as well. He announced on Friday his intention to cut the state’s vehicle fleet in half, by directing all state agencies and departments to immediately halt new car purchases and turn in taxpayer-funded cars that are not essential to state business.

“There is a lot of wasteful spending on cars that aren’t even driven,” Gov. Brown said in a statement. “And we can’t afford to spend taxpayer money on new cars while California faces such a massive deficit.”

I’m sure residents in the State of California are relieved to see common sense cost-cutting taking place. In fact, three of those residents are my sisters. When I asked one sister if she was aware of what Gov. Brown was up to these days, she said, “You mean cutting cell phones, and now cars for employees?” She added that she is extremely happy to see him keeping his campaign promise—to go through the state’s expenses and cut unnecessary costs.

No doubt these moves will make Gov. Brown unpopular among some state employees. Having a paid cell phone—not to mention a car—is a nice perk. And it’s my guess that many of those employees with cell phones also have state paid-for cars to drive.

California’s Department of General Services estimates there are about 11,000 passenger cars and trucks in the state fleet, and nearly 4,500 home storage permits that don’t serve a health or public safety function. Gov. Brown's goal is to cut these totals in half.

Gov. Brown directed that underutilized vehicles be moved to new locations, to increase overall efficiency of the fleet. Any cars that are not needed will be sold, he added.

Cutting back any more on garbage collection, road repairs or use of public parks is ridiculous in light of these and no doubt other unnecessary expenditures. Gov. Brown is doing what many federal, state and local municipalities are beginning to do and should do more of—look more carefully at specific expenses to determine what is necessary and what is frivolous or wasteful. It’s easy to overlook something like cell phones and now, automobiles, as people become accustomed to having them and view them as necessities.

I have to wonder whether other states are taking this route, or if they have already made these cuts.

Any thoughts on this or other possibilities for cuts from the public or private sectors?

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Calif.&rsquo;s Gov. Brown Takes Next Step; Cuts Auto Usage

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Calif.’s Gov. Brown Takes Next Step; Cuts Auto Usage