By Richard Danielson, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, January 1, 2011
TAMPA — Crime is down, the budget is balanced and the city has an inviting new riverfront park that's home to two museums.
In a time of too many foreclosures and not enough jobs, those are solid achievements. And in a recent St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9 telephone poll, Tampa area residents gave credit to outgoing Mayor Pam Iorio.
Seventy-nine percent of the 400 adults polled rated Iorio's job performance as average or better. A majority, 52 percent, gave her good or excellent ratings.
"She did a good job," said Joe Muley, an 81-year-old retiree who lives in Seminole Heights. "She's done what she could with the money that's available."
Seventy-nine percent also is the percentage of the vote Iorio won when she was re-elected four years ago. And she said it's consistent with her ...