The “gift room” scandal, a botched police raid and a smokestack implosion underscore how the head of Chicago’s Law Department, also known as the corporation counsel, too often lacks independence from the mayor’s office. Chicago’s corporation counsel is appointed by the mayor and can be removed at the mayor’s discretion. Experience in other major cities...

A city charter could impose them. All other big cities have one

Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.

Not enough revenue? How about too much spending. Chicago outpaces many of America’s biggest cities with a 62% spending spike since 2019. That’s what’s driving deficits.

Summer jobs programs are not enough to keep Chicago’s youth out of trouble. To reach their potential, a year-round answer is needed. Paid apprenticeships or other work-study need to become part of public education.