BOISE -- A pension reformer hopes to make 2012 the year when Idaho lawmakers pare back elected officials' retirement benefits.
Rep. Dennis Lake of Blackfoot has two proposals aimed at reducing benefits for legislators, while he's also been leading negotiations over how best to shore up a separate pension system for elected judges that's underfunded by $14 million.
Lake told the House State Affairs Committee on Tuesday he wants to end a pension perk allowing lawmakers to spike benefits by taking a higher-paid state appointment for 42 months at the conclusion of their careers.
Lawmakers approved this special benefit during the 1990 session, but Lake contends it's outlived its usefulness 22 years later because of concerns in the public that lawmakers lucky enough to win higher-paid appointments are unfairly padding their retirements.
