"The Contra Costa retirement board members are being told by their lawyer that new state legislation requires them to finally end abusive and costly pension spiking practices they have allowed for years. The new law ... prohibits counting most payments at termination for unused vacation and sick leave as income when computing pensions. It takes effect Jan. 1, so board action could spark an end-of-the-year retirement rush by older county workers who want to grab fatter pensions before the rules change. Some labor representatives on the retirement board are balking at implementing the new law. And the Deputy Sheriffs Association has issued a veiled threat to sue on the grounds that the change would unconstitutionally violate past promises."  MORE >>