How about this idea. Set a cap on the total amount of salary paid out to the Legislature and either let them reduce their numbers or take a pay cut. Make it 50,000 for every member that's in there right now and watch them scramble.
In Texas, the Constitution sets legislator pay at $7200/year. A higher amount may be recommended, but it must be approved by the voters.
A couple of decades ago, pensions for legislators were tied to judicial pensions. With lawyers unwilling to take pay cuts to become judges, there has been pressure for the legislature to increase judicial pay. The legislature is more than willing considering that their pension is comparable to that granted to judges making in the mid $100,000s.
