Chicago must enforce rules on homelessness

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Chicago Tribune Opinion

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

 
 

Good morning, Chicago. 

When the weather is as nice as it has been, many Chicagoans flock to their local park. But on the Northwest Side, neighborhood groups have been in conflict with unhoused residents sheltering in parks. Recently, a long-standing tent encampment was removed from Legion Park after several fires broke out over several months. 

The board calls attention to a new bill proposed in Springfield that would ban cities from ticketing or arresting unhoused people for engaging in basic survival activities. This legislation, while well intentioned, is not necessary, the board says. Instead, Chicago should focus on enforcing its own laws regarding open fires, unsafe/unpermitted structures and park closing hours. 

Also today, the board weighs in on a financial scandal at a Catholic parish in Evanston and the question it raises about oversight from the archdiocese. 

In commentary, Chicago Public Schools civics teacher and union member Froylan Jimenez writes about why he will be going to work on May 1. Christian Miller writes about why he is running to be the next lieutenant governor of Illinois alongside JB Pritzker. And three education advocates express support for college readiness indicators. 

Today is Tax Day. After you file, take a gander at Jeff MacNelly’s cartoon, first published in the Tribune 50 years ago today. 

Thanks for reading. We will be back tomorrow. 

— Grace Miserocchi, opinion editor

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Editorial: Before adding new rules on homelessness, let’s enforce the ones we have

The uncomfortable tension here is that this bill prioritizes the rights of unsheltered individuals without equally addressing the effects on other people who use public spaces.

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Editorial: Financial scandal at Evanston parish raises questions about archdiocesan controls

An Evanston pastor removed from his post for allegedly taking parish funds for his own use raises questions about archdiocesan financial controls.

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Froylan Jimenez: Why I choose to teach in CPS on May Day

Many teachers see the Chicago Teachers Union’s “Civic Day of Action” as an extreme political request that is not in students’ best interests.

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Christian Mitchell: Why I’m running with JB Pritzker

When I think about families staring at piles of bills, I think about JB Pritzker’s record and what it means for families like mine.

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Education advocates: Illinois should not scrap indicator that shows whether students can succeed after high school

Illinois must ensure that preparing students for success beyond high school remains a core part of how we define school achievement.

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50 years ago today, cartoonist Jeff MacNelly nailed the horrors of tax day. It’s still funny.

Jeff MacNelly’s editorial cartoon on filing taxes is perhaps the most popular and surely the funniest single cartoon in Tribune history.

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Letters: Elected officials critical of AIPAC ignore the dangers posed by Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran

Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian regime are not misunderstood political actors. They are violent organizations and a violent government.

Read more →
 

Scott Stantis

 

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