Pew poll says approval ratings up for Philadelphia mayor

A new poll gives higher marks to Philadelphia’s mayor, but residents are still worried about their safety.

The Pew Charitable Trusts poll says 60 percent of Philadelphia residents approve of the job Mayor Michael Nutter is doing.  Poll director Larry Eichel says Nutter’s ratings are growing among African Americans.

“He has always performed better among whites in terms of job approval than among blacks that’s true again this year, but his black number is up substantially last year he had the approval of only 42 percent among African Americans, this year it’s 52 percent so that’s a big gain,” said Eichel.

Eichel says Philadelphians feel the city is going in the wrong direction.

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“More say it has gotten worse in the last five years than had gotten better,” said Eichel.  “Last year it was split same number of people taking both positions and the previous years a slight advantage saying it was better.”

Eichel says the poll shows a growing concern about crime.

More than half polled had a household member who is unemployed.

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