In the 22 years since Jack Evans joined the D.C. Council, he said the city’s economy has made remarkable progress.

“When I came here, the city was in freefall,” Evans, who represents Foggy Bottom, said. “Downtown was deserted and our finances were really struggling.”

Now, Evans – who is running for mayor – is making a pitch to local business owners that he deserves some of that credit.

In a meeting with the Washington Circle Business Association on Wednesday, the council’s finance committee chair touted his record of job creation and overall economic growth since he first joined the Council in 1991.

Evans spoke with heads of TD Bank, the Watergate Hotel and other businesses at Tonic Restaurant, underscoring development projects such as construction of the Washington Convention Center.

“That’s just one of 63 [projects] across the city, which is an unparalleled number, and the services the city is providing are much better,” Evans said.

The 58-year-old has long taken credit for turning around commercial areas like U Street, Dupont Circle and 14th Street.

But he added that the District could improve its spending strategies in areas like education. He said the city pours millions of dollars into a program that is “one of the worst in America.”

Evans also called for a decrease in the District’s corporate tax rate and fewer regulations to compete with states like Virginia.

The WCBA, which includes Foggy Bottom businesses like Founding Farmers, the State Plaza Hotel and the Veritas Law Firm, hosted the event. It has not endorsed a candidate, the group’s president, FoBoGro owner Kris Hart, said.

Hart said he is leaning toward Evans or Ward 4 Council member Muriel Bowser in the Democratic primary slated for April.