Politics

Updated 5:39 p.m. with reporting from Brian Mackey.

The Illinois House approved a massive overhaul of state-employee pension systems on Thursday. It's a development that's been more than a year in the making.

Earlier this year, there was a pension measure that had just a single "yes" vote. That makes what happened with this latest proposal significant.

Today's measure received 62 "yes" votes, 51 "no" votes and two voting present. Having received the constitutional majority, it passed.

(Editors note: Scroll down for Veolia's response to this commentary)

Water is our most essential shared resource. The quality of our water relates directly to our health and the well-being of our city. 

Public reinvestment and political commitment to public water is critical. St. Louis does face real challenges. We need to address the declining population, increasing environmental management issues and especially our need to reinvest in our aging water infrastructure.  

The running tab for tickets, meals, drinks and other lobbyist gifts hasn't slowed. In just three months this year, lobbyists spent more than $450,000 on legislators in Jefferson City.

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