Hi, I read your post and you can configure each switch as a defould gateway for your access layer devices, workstations and VoIP phones. You do this by creating a Vlan on the switch, you then assign switchports to the vlan. After this is done on your workstations you configure the TCP/IP setting with the Vlan IP address as the default gateway, now when the workstation send a layer 3 packet it will exit the vlan interface which will have to be a trunk link between your switches. this configuration will require more admin duties from you, dynamic DHCP is a much easier option. I have a link below that should be a big help to you. HTH

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk389/tk689/technologies_configuration_example09186a008009478e.shtml