Former Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives Lawerence Denney addresses a group of about 30 as he announces his candidacy for Idaho Secretary of State Thursday at the Coeur d’Alene Airport. Story here. (Coeur d'Alene Press photo: David Cole)

If former House Speaker Lawerence Denney were to serve one four-year term as Secretary of State after his many years of legislative service, his state retirement pension, for life, would rise from roughly $500 a month to more than $3,600 a month. That’s because the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho sets retirement pensions based on the highest-paid 42 months of state employment – and state legislators, who now make a little over $16,000 a year, who move up to higher-paid, year-round jobs at the end of their careers can count all those lower-paid years of legislative service for retirement. The current salary for the Idaho Secretary of State, by law, is $99,450 a year/Betsy Russell, Eye on Boise. More here.

Question: Another reason not to support Denney?