New York must have really sucked before Rudy, because New Yorker's were still way overtaxed when he was done "cutting" taxes, and I don't think MY city even HAS 23 taxes, much less 23 that could be cut or eliminated.
The fact that Bloomberg was able to make such a great improvement in New york during the time right after Rudy was gone shows that, while Rudy took them a long way, they had a long way to go. Bloomberg's had a harder time of it, but still making great headway.
It's not hard to lose the first 50 pounds if you weigh 300 pounds to start with.
In the real world, it’s far more likely that 300 pounders will gain 50 than lose it. The socialist paradise that Rudy inherited is much better off for his efforts. That others are building on them seems to provide further validation.
You can criticize Rudy for his social liberalism and thus, demonstrate intellectual honesty. However, to undermine his accomplishments as Mayor is disingenuous.