Bob Joiner, longtime editorial writer for the Post-Dispatch, wrote in a March 14 column that he is surprised that Mayor Francis Slay’s victory was being touted as a landslide, given that 1st Ward Alderwoman Irene J. Smith got almost one-third of the vote while spending only $10,000 to Slay’s $1.5 million. Using Joiner’s logic, if Smith had spent $20,000 she would have received nearly two-thirds of the vote, which would have made her the mayor.
There are a number of valid reasons to criticize the Slay administration’s sometimes troubled relationship with the black community. The EYE has often challenged the Slay administration to build a higher level of confidence and trust with the majority black population in St. Louis. To date, his administration has at best a mixed record in efforts toward that end.
Notwithstanding the reticence some black people have about Slay, 36 percent of black voters did cast their ballot for him. Although this leaves an impressive number who did not vote for him, a 36 percent show of support means a significant number of black folks are willing to follow his leadership. The EYE is convinced that greater cooperation between a broad segment of the African-American community and Slay could offer greater mutual benefits.