ST. LOUIS MAYOR FRANCIS G. SLAY

On April 19, 2005, Francis G. Slay was sworn in for a second term as the 45th Mayor of the City of St. Louis.

Running on a campaign that St. Louis can be a great city by embracing a “can do” attitude, the City of St. Louis has enjoyed a renaissance since Slay took office. The City has enjoyed a building boom, issuing a record number of permits by the mayor’s third year in office. Under Slay’s leadership, the City reduced crime, took on absentee landlords, and improved the efficiency and effectiveness of City government.

Slay has focused on improving neighborhoods. One indication of success has been a strong increase in property values. Because of the mayor’s can-do attitude, eyesores that have blighted the City for decades are now coming back to life. The City’s image is changing for the better, and for the first time in 50 years more people are moving into the City than moving out.

Downtown, which is responsible for a third of the City’s tax base, is also enjoying a rebirth, including a new Ballpark, the redevelopment of the historic Old Post Office, and the loft developments along Washington Avenue. This year alone, more than 650 residential units and over $300 million in additional investment is expected to come online in Downtown.

To make City government more efficient, Slay implemented the CityView program, which sets performance standards for each department and holds managers accountable to meet those standards. Even though he has no control over them, Slay has taken on the task of reforming the St. Louis Public Schools, the Metropolitan Sewer District and the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners, all of which had lost public confidence before Slay took office.

Prior to being elected Mayor, Francis G. Slay served as a St. Louis Alderman for 10 years, then as President of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen from 1995 to 2001.

An attorney by trade, Slay joined the law firm of Guilfoil, Petzall and Shoemake in 1981, where he practiced for 20 years and became a partner specializing in corporate law and commercial litigation.

Mayor Slay received his law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law. He holds a degree in political science from Quincy College and is a graduate of St. Mary’s High School.

The second oldest of 11 children in a household where public service was encouraged, Mayor Slay is the son of Francis R. and Anna May Slay. The Mayor and Kim, his wife of 25 years, live with their children, Francis, Jr., and Katherine, in the same south city neighborhood where he grew up.