It is really remarkable how dramatically we turned the City around. And what's even better news, of the people who have visited the City in the past five years, over 77 percent said they had a good image of the City. Not long ago, New York City was a place overcome by pessimism. We now believe in ourselves and our ability to improve the City. There's one fundamental that is at the heart of changing the spirit of the city from one of pessimism to one of optimism.
People feel safer.
People feel a fundamental sense of security whether it is in their homes, walking down the streets, or going to work. People feel safer in their daily lives. Between 1990 and 1993 New York City averaged more than 2,000 murders each year. Last year there were less than 800 murders. Think about what it means for a minute to have 2,000 murders a year.