"People see this city as on the move, ready to tackle its future. And two, Chicagoans have their confidence back," Emanuel told ABC7 during another of his 14-hour days.
The mayor lists as his number one accomplishment the council's unanimous passage of his first budget, which did not include a tax increase to support what had been a deficit-ridden city government.
"Property taxes, line, held the line. Gas taxes, held the line...sales tax, held the line," he said. "But the education tax, the school tax did go up. Okay, the education but on the corporate account, that I have to pass, we held the line."
On the longer school day and other changes planned or implemented in the Chicago Public Schools, the notoriously impatient mayor noted he's never said CPS had made any actual progress during his first year.
"I didn't say one thing about progress. Oh, you haven't made progress. No, I'm making the changes necessary to achieve it," said Emanuel.
What has made him most frustrated, even angry after one year? The increasing gun violence in many of Chicago's neighborhoods:
"These gangbangers, these are not their streets. And nothing makes me more frustrated and angry than people thinking they can work out a problem shooting somebody," he said.
Watch more of ABC7's sit-down interview with Mayor Emanuel on ABC7 News on Sunday at 10 p.m.
