Mayor Bloomberg's approval rating has reached its lowest level in six years according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
According to the poll, 45 percent of New Yorkers approve of Mr. Bloomberg’s performance, down nine points since the last Times poll, in October 2010.
Forty-three percent of New Yorkers disapprove of the mayor’s performance.
Mr. Bloomberg’s job approval rating was 43 percent in February 2005.
Almost 70 percent of New Yorkers characterized the economy as bad in the poll, which was conducted in either English or Spanish from Aug. 9 through Aug. 15 in New York City with 1,027 adults.
Greg David, a contributor to Crain’s New York Business, blames the drop on the curse of the third term mayor.
“It’s almost like he didn’t look at the history books when he decided to run again, or you know, he decided that he was above the history books, because third terms in New York have been disastrous for everybody who has had one,” Davis said, according to CBS News.
Other possible causes for the drop could be hizzoner's mishandling of the December blizzard, his appointment of Cathie Black as schools chancellor or the CityTime payroll scandal.
The poll also showed strong support for Wal-Mart's dogged efforts to open stores in the city, a move Bloomberg hasn't opposed.
In the Bronx alone, 79 percent of residents liked the idea of the retail giant coming to the five boroughs.