Good morning, Chicago.

Have you ever called 311 and had your problem solved in a timely manner? If so, you are probably in the minority. Some Chicagoans told the inspector general’s office that using the system is like interacting with a “black hole.” But one local tech founder, Tom Dowling, has ideas for how Chicago can improve not just its 311 system but also other back-office functions. Read his piece below.

The Tribune Editorial Board is also thinking about city government today, specifically recent comments from Mayor Brandon Johnson about not going back to the “model of torment and torture” that was “school closures, consolidation and privatization” under Rahm Emanuel.

“Of all the political dysfunction surrounding Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union, the obsession with buildings is perhaps the most bizarre of all,” the board writes.

Also in our section today, the board takes note of another democratic socialist candidate, this one running for governor of Wisconsin. Columnist Steve Chapman writes about what he says are “futile” efforts by the Trump administration to fight drug trafficking in the Caribbean. Plus don’t miss a piece about how a U.S. database is helping to reveal once-hidden history about former members of the Nazi Party.

Thanks for reading.

— Grace Miseorcchi, opinion editor

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