Mert Smiley
| M. J. "Mert" Smiley, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Louisiana State Representative from District 88 (Ascension and Livingston parishes; in 2012 only Ascension Parish) | |
|
In office 2004–2012 |
|
| Preceded by | Tom Capella (then Jefferson Parish) |
| Succeeded by | Johnny Berthelot |
| Ascension Parish Assessor | |
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Assumed office January 2013 (pending) |
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| Preceded by | Renee Mire Michel (pending) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 23, 1951 Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Ina Smiley |
| Residence | Ascension Parish, Louisiana |
| Alma mater |
East Ascension High School |
| Occupation | Automobile dealer |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
East Ascension High School
M. J. "Mert" Smiley, Jr. (born December 23, 1951), is an automobile dealer and politician from St. Amant, Louisiana. He is the assessor of Ascension Parish, located south of Baton Rouge. Though elected in 2011, he did not take office until January 2013. Meanwhile, Governor Bobby Jindal named Smiley to serve during 2012 on the Louisiana Pardon Board, a part-time position which pays $36,000 annually.
Formerly, Smiley was a two-term Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 88, which encompasses Ascension and Livingston parishes in the outlying Baton Rouge area. In 2012, the district was reconfigured and is now based only in Ascension Parish.
A Baton Rouge native, Smiley graduated in 1969 from East Ascension High School. After years in the work force, he attended the Ford Marketing Institute in 1984. Since 1994, he has owned the used car dealership, Smiley Enterprises, Inc., in St. Amant. From 1981 to 1994, he was sales manager at All-Star Ford in Denham Springs in Livingston Parish. Smiley is affiliated with Rotary International, the Chamber of Commerce, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. He is Roman Catholic. His wife is Ina Smiley.
Smiley calls himself a "fiscal conservative." As a member of the House since 2004, in an effort to trim state spending, he supported the abolition of more than 125 state commissions and boards. He also voted against the Stelly Plan, a tax transfer scheme named for former Representative Vic Stelly of Calcasieu Parish.
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