State Rep. Thomas Lothian will call it quits in the Legislature at the end of this year.

The Williams Bay Republican announced his retirement plans this week, citing a desire to see some new blood in the seat.

“It took a little bit of soul searching,” Lothian, 81, said Friday. “But I figure I’ve spent 28 years in local and state politics, so maybe it’s time somebody else takes over.

Lothian has represented the 32nd Assembly District since 2003. The district includes much of Walworth County, plus the Kenosha County town of Wheatland.

Lowering taxes, particularly for retirees, was one of Lothian’s foremost goals when he first ran for the seat, newly created after the 2000 Census.

“I only got half of what I wanted to do done, and that was to get the Social Security payments to retirees, have them tax exempt from state income taxes,” Lothian said Friday.

The other pillar of his goal — eliminating taxes up to the poverty level on qualified pension income — has not occurred, Lothian conceded. It’s a cause he said he hopes is successor will embrace.

Among his other accomplishments in Madison, the proud Scotsman noted his successful 2008 attempt to designate an official state tartan.

“It’s a warm and fuzzy bill,” Lothian said in 2007.

Prior to his state legislative service, Lothian was a Walworth County supervisor for 11 years and a Williams Bay village trustee for eight years.

Rep. Samantha Kerkman, R-Randall, said Lothian’s experience was well valued in the Capitol.

“He’s had such a long, distinguished career in public service and in private service all those years, that we’re really going to miss him,” Kerkman said.

Two Republicans have taken out papers to run for the seat this fall, according to state records. They are Adam Gibbs of Burlington and Dan Necci of Delavan. Democrat Doug Harrod of Genoa City, his party’s nominee against Lothian in 2008, has also declared candidacy.