Land Lines Are Unplugged In the Call to Save Money

How is the D.C. government's budget crunch affecting city workers?

Look no further than City Administrator Dan Tangherlini's office on the fifth floor of the John A. Wilson Building. That's where the Fenty administration's No. 2 official and his two dozen aides had their desk phones removed a few weeks ago.

The office is the guinea pig for a pilot program in which employees who have government-issued cellphones will no longer have land lines, in an effort to improve efficiency and save money. For a while, the phone numbers into Tangherlini's bullpen still worked, with the calls being forwarded automatically to the cellphones. But recently, the desk numbers stopped working.

William Singer, Tangherlini's top budget aide, said the administration will assess how much money the strategy saves and, if the program is successful, expand it to other agencies. The government has issued 11,623 cellphones, roughly one for every three employees, Singer said. If other employees also gave up their land lines, that could add up to some real savings, he said.

"We'll see if it can be done," he said.

Another Nomination Stalls

The D.C. Council's vote to block the appointments of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's five recent nominees to the board of trustees at the University of the District of Columbia isn't the only legislative action irking Fenty (D) lately.

Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3), chairman of public services and consumer affairs, also has not moved on the mayor's nomination of Lori "Missy" Murphy Lee to the Public Services Commission.

Lee, an immigration lawyer, is a best friend to the mayor's wife and cousin to his older brother's wife. Lee's husband, Garrett Lee, had been interim deputy general counsel to Fenty until he resigned in June amid his disbarment in connection with malpractice as a private lawyer.

"I have concerns," Cheh said, referring to Murphy Lee's qualifications, not the family ties.

Teacher Negotiations

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten says there has been nothing hush-hush about her organization's role in helping the Washington Teachers Union in its contract negotiations.

Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee said Friday that the AFT has been "disingenuous" in claiming no involvement, even though it has detailed a national representative to the WTU office, funded a poll of teachers and is working with WTU President George Parker on ideas to bring to the bargaining table. Weingarten said that although the AFT "has not been directly involved" in talks, it has a responsibility to support Washington teachers.