A majority of Chicago voters think Mayor Rahm Emanuel has failed at restarting Chicago's economy, according to a recent WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune poll:
Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed gave a thumbs-down to the mayor's economic development efforts, compared to 28 percent who said they were satisfied. […]
Those who most significantly disapprove of Emanuel's work to enhance economic growth are African-American, lower-income and younger voters. Fully 73 percent of black voters, 70 percent of voters earning under $50,000, and 69 percent of those from age 18 to 35 think Emanuel has not done enough.
According to the poll, disapproval of Emanuel stems from the city’s unemployment numbers. When Emanuel took office in May 2011, the unemployment rate in Chicago was 11.4 percent. As of March 2013, the unemployment rate has only decreased by less than one percentage point.
The poll of 800 Chicago voters was conducted from April 30 to May 6.
But even, among voters who said they approve of Emanuel's overall job performance as mayor, 52 percent said he has not done enough to improve the city's economic climate.
Emanuel defended his progress on Thursday:
"I don't create jobs. I create the environment, the atmosphere and the platform for success in the private sector."
