Preceded by Paul T. Jordan Religion Catholic Succeeded by Gerald McCann Profession Educator Party Democratic Party | Political party Democratic Role Politician Resting place Holy Name Cemetery Name Thomas X. Books The Powerticians | |
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Born July 5, 1928
Jersey City, New Jersey ( 1928-07-05 ) Died May 31, 1996, Jersey City, New Jersey, United States Residence Jersey City, New Jersey, United States Education St. Peter's Preparatory School, Saint Peter's University | ||
Thomas Francis Xavier Smith (July 5, 1928 – May 31, 1996) was a reformist politician and author. He served as mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey, from 1977 to 1981.
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Career
Smith was affectionately known as "The Mouth That Roared" due to his outspoken criticism of the political cronyism and corruption for which Hudson County had long been infamous. Smith left the mayor's office for a bid for Governor of New Jersey in 1981, in which he finished sixth in a field of 13 candidates vying for the Democratic nomination, and was unsuccessful in a subsequent bid for the mayoralty of Jersey City in 1989.
Smith wrote Powerticians, a history of Jersey City politics and the attempts to remove the city from the grip of the political machine created by Frank Hague, Hudson County political boss and sometimes mayor of Jersey City. The book was published by Lyle Stuart, Inc., of Secaucus, New Jersey, in 1982. (ISBN 0-8184-0328-4).
Personal life
Smith attended St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City. He was a star basketball player at Saint Peter's College, New Jersey, where he earned an undergraduate degree with a major in English, and received a master's degree from Fordham University in educational psychology. He was director of placement at St. Peter's and a vice president of Hudson County Community College. Smith played for the New York Knicks briefly in 1951.
Smith died of cancer in 1996, and is buried in Holy Name Cemetery, Jersey City.