HUDSON POLITICS
Contenders choose words wisely
Monday, March 23, 2009
By AMY SARA CLARK
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Along with nominating petitions, Jersey City candidates running for municipal office have filed their campaign slogans with the City Clerk's Office - and they sound familiar. Do "hope" and "change" ring any bells?

Five slogans - including that of the slate headed by Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy - incorporate the word "change."

Several slogans appropriate "we can" from Barack Obama's successful "Yes We Can" campaign mantra, while another ties "new leadership" to "new hope" to emphasize, well, newness.

Six words was the limit for the candidates' catchphrases that will appear on the May ballot. Now the only question is how much more "hope" and "change" can voters handle.

Here's what they chose:

Mayoral slates:
Lou Manzo: Change To Believe In
L. Harvey Smith: Smith Team For Positive Change
Jerramiah T. Healy: Healy Team Change You Can See
Phil Webb: Phil Webb For Mayor, Justice Movement
Dan Levin: One Jersey City

Independent candidates:
Marie Day (at-large): Change We Can Afford
Andre M. Richardson (Ward A): New Leadership New Hope
Michael J. Manzo (Ward B): Bringing change to the forgotten ward
Adela Rohena (Ward C): Bring Back the Dignity and Respect
Christian A. Araujo (Ward D): For A Greater Heights
Steven Fulop (Ward E): Open Honest Government
Tyrone L. Ballon (Ward F): A New Movement For Urban Renewal
Omar Barbour (Ward F): Your Vote Counts More With Barbour
LaVern Webb-Washington: (Ward F): Together We Can

As of Friday afternoon, all the candidates have been certified for the ballot except for Craig Bailey (Ward C), Asim Usman (Ward C) and John Muniz (Ward D), who are awaiting certification, according to City Clerk Robert Byrne. Abdul J. Malik, an at-large candidate, did not submit a slogan for his slate, Byrne said.