<html><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div></div><div>Courtesy of KHQ at:</div><div><br></div><a href="http://www.khq.com/story/16770645/bill-to-end-lawmaker-pension-perk-derailed">http://www.khq.com/story/16770645/bill-to-end-lawmaker-pension-perk-derailed</a><div> <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">--------------------------</span><br></div><div><div id="WNStoryHeader" style="margin-bottom: 13px; font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: 12px; "><h3 class="" style="display: block; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; clear: both; font-size: 1.5em; font-weight: bold; ">Bill to end lawmaker pension perk derailed</h3></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, verdana, sans-serif; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: 12px; "><div id="WNStoryBody" class="" style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 15px; display: inline; "><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A bill to end a pension perk that allows former Idaho lawmakers to hike their pensions by taking more-lucrative state appointments has been derailed, at least for now, on concern it would erode incentives to enter public service.</p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">The House State Affairs Committee voted 14-5 on Wednesday against sending the measure to the full chamber.</p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Republican Rep. Dennis Lake of Blackfoot has touted his measure as a way of eliminating "unconscionable" special treatment.</p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">But Rep. Brent Crane of Nampa contended the rewards for serving in the Legislature are already minimal, for a post that pays just $16,100 but often demands the attention of a full-time job.</p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Rep. Erik Simpson of Idaho Falls added that Lake's measure chips away at the edges of incentives that encourage citizens to run for office.</p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-size: 17px; ">--------------------------</span><br></p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">" . . . rewards for serving in the Legislature are already minimal."</span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">OH, THE HUMANITY ! ! !</span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">I guess if they must expand and extend legislature pension perks, they can always gut (er . . . uh . . . I mean "cut") the state health and welfare budget. I mean . , . the H&W budget only benefits people stickin' around to see what cancer they die from anyways. Ain't that right, Butch?</span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;"><br></span></font></p></div></span><div>Seeya later, Moscow.</div><div><br></div><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Post Falls, Idaho</div><div><br></div><div>"If not us, who?</div><div>If not now, when?"</div><div><br></div><div>- Unknown</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></body></html>