Irene J. Smith has a mighty fight ahead of her to beat Mayor Francis G. Slay in the March 3 Democratic primary and possibly take his spot on the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners.
But last Thursday, she managed to instruct and redirect two St. Louis police officers, when they tried to stop her press conference before a public meeting at Vashon High School regarding recommended city school closings.
“I want to make clear what my position is relative to school closings, as well as to speak on Mayor Slay’s fundraising that shows a continuing pattern of hostility toward public education,” Smith told one police officer.
Her persistence drew applause from onlookers. A video of the event may be seen on stlamerican.com.
In the end, Smith – an attorney, professor and former judge – went on with her statement and subsequently fielded questions from reporters.
She said that Slay reported accepting large campaign contributions from Rex Sinquefield, whom she described as “an anti-public education activist,” in his most recent fundraising report.
Smith distributed a 30-page handout that documents Slay’s acceptance of $239,000 from Sinquefield between December 2007 and December 2008 alone.
“Mayor Slay needs to tell the citizens of St. Louis why he is accepting approximately a quarter of a million dollars in campaign contributions from committees funded by anti-public school advocate Rex Sinquefield,” Smith said.
“He also needs to explain why he has been missing in action on the issue of public school closings. He is missing in action because he supports Rex Sinquefield’s policy that will dismantle public education. Why else would he give the mayor almost a quarter of a million dollars?”
Smith compared her bold public engagement to Slay’s habit of hiding behind statements by Jeff Rainford, a former television reporter who has switched hats between campaign manager and chief of staff for Slay.
“Every response to any crisis is spin, rather than coming out where the people are and fashioning solutions,” Smith said of Slay.
If elected mayor, Smith said she would be much more publicly accountable and hands-on than Slay has been – and act more in accordance with the City Charter, which sharply limits the powers of the mayor.
She said she also would reinstate the Division of Youth Services “as a viable agency of city government” to provide more recreational and training opportunities for youth.
Race and the race
Smith did well against Slay in the black community when she ran four years ago, and Slay is perceived as having made the city’s racial problem worse – most recently, by his public handling of a personnel squabble with the city’s first African-American fire chief, Sherman George.
In the end, Slay promoted another black man – the unqualified Charles Bryson – to demote George, who has since filed suit against Slay and the City for illegal job action and racial discrimination.
But Smith is not leading her campaign with the race issue. It appears low on her published campaign platform. Even there, improving race relations is bundled in a statement that also includes advocating for small businesses in the city.
Perhaps Smith’s focus on race is so minimal because her ties to her own community are so strong, though she traveled outside her own community to better herself before returning.
After growing up in the Cochran Projects, she graduated from Beaumont High School in 1972, earning a scholarship to Saint Louis University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Urban Affairs/Political Science and a certificate in African-American Studies.
She received a fellowship to study law at the University of Missouri – Columbia School of Law. Smith graduated in 1979, gaining the distinction of becoming the first African-American female to graduate from the law school.
In less than a year, she became the first African-American assistant county counselor for St. Louis County.
She has been director of the St. Louis City Department of Human Services and general counselor for the union that represented the largest number of employees of St. Louis City, St. Louis County and the Metropolitan Sewer District. She also has legal experience as a criminal defense attorney, municipal attorney, prosecutor and judge in St. Louis County, and as an administrative judge for the City of St. Louis.
Smith has served the 1st Ward for two terms on the Board of Aldermen: 1994 to 1997, and 2001 to 2005.
“Once people really know my depth of experience in city government and hear my vision of the city, they are drawn in,” Smith said, “because they know I have the skills, the commitment and a reputation for being fair.”
Even a potential rival in the April election had a positive word for her.
Term-limited state senator Maida Coleman is reviewing signatures her campaign has gathered so she can get onto the April 7 general election ballot. Smith is competing against Slay in the March 3 democratic primary.
“I support Irene,” Coleman said, as she stood in a local grocer’s checkout line Tuesday evening.
“I will not be voting for Slay, and I encourage all voters to do likewise.”
