Rejecting a staff recommendation and warnings from the City Attorney's Office, a board committee of LACERS -- the city's civilian pension fund -- voted 2-1 Tuesday to allow unions to pay back the costs of the early retirement incentive program (ERIP) for 2,400 of its members over 15 years -- instead of five.

The issue -- which threatens to blow up a deal the mayor and City Council offered the Coalition of City Unions -- now goes to the full LACERS board and ultimately the Council.