Chicago Tribune Opinion Thursday, July 30, 2026 | | |
| | | | | Good morning, I am a big fan of urban farms, so I read with interest Willie Wilson's advocacy for more of them in his lament over the recent closure of seven Save A Lot grocery stores on the South and West sides. They're part of the solution, he writes. Of course, I hasten to add, Wilson is (once again) running for Chicago mayor. Another candidate, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, lays out an ambitious plan to build 50,000 new units of housing over five years in Chicago. Speaking of mayors, the editorial board notes the sudden departure of yet another chief financial officer under Mayor Brandon Johnson. The evidence of more fifth floor dysfunction comes at a particularly bad time. The board also read the platform of the Democratic Socialists of America, the organization gaining momentum in Democratic Party primaries as the November election approaches. "You may say I'm a dreamer," John Lennon once sang. Boy, are the DSA dreamers! Unfortunately, many of their anti-capitalist ideas have been tried in earnest elsewhere, and the results were terrible. Finally, Evanston high school and college teacher Liz Shulman has a sharply critical piece on the effect of artificial intelligence in the classroom. Please check out readers' letters as well, and we'll be back to you tomorrow. — Steve Daniels, editorial board member Submit an op-ed | Submit a letter to the editor | Meet the Tribune Editorial Board | Subscribe to this newsletter | | | | While infrastructure like grocery stores takes time, Chicago has the ability to scale and respond right now with urban agriculture. | | | | | Chicago can jump start its housing production by removing barriers to build, lowering the cost of construction, and financing missing middle homes. | | | | | Acting Chicago CFO Steven Mahr’s sudden departure comes at a particularly poor time. | | | | | Chicagoans have already watched what happens when ideological ambitions collide with budget math, political compromise and the practical realities of governing. The result is dysfunction. | | | | | All kids deserve protection in school. Instead, AI companies are equipping classrooms with surveillance tech to gather data on K-12 students. | | | | | Building and business owners should put themselves in the “non-walking-shoes” of people coming and going from their establishment. | | | |