February 04, 2016

Dear NJGCA Member:

Thank you for reading this week's NJGCA Road Warrior!

Here is what you will find in this edition:

NJGCA AUTO REPAIR AND TIRE SHOP SUMMIT - WEDS. FEB. 10th ...
1. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & OSHA - PAYROLL & RECORD KEEPING
2. IMPLICATIONS SURROUNDING POOR QUALITY MOTOR OILS
3. NEXT GEN. INSPECTION PROGRAM AND MVC CHIEF MARTINEZ

GULF DEALERS BEING BYPASSED FOR RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL!
RECENT ROBBERIES -- PROTECT YOURSELF & ATTENDANTS

Anybody who owns a repair shop or is a Private Inspection Facility (PIF) or Emissions Repair Facility (ERF) should have received emails from us this week regarding the First Ever NJGCA Auto Repair and Tire Shop Summit. We are just trying to keep this event in front of you so that you know how very valuable it will be. The event will be at the Crowne Plaza Monroe, located at 390 Forsgate Drive, Monroe, NJ from 8:00am-3:00pm on Weds. Feb. 10th.

Here are 4 reasons why it is important that you attend:

1. I keep mentioning issues with payroll and employees, and we are really pleased to have the U.S. Department of Labor and OSHA coming to make a presentation that will help keep you out of trouble! With paid sick leave still on the table, and the introduction this week of a proposal for a minimum wage of $15/hour by two key members of the Legislature, payroll and employee issues remain of critical importance to your business. Why take the chance of getting caught by the USDOL Task Force in NJ, set up specifically to investigate infractions in this industry!

2. Last year we discussed poor quality motor oil and the implications of installing improper motor oil in your customers' cars. Tom Glenn, president of the Petroleum Quality Institute of America will be making a presentation, as almost monthly there are new motor oils and motor oil requirements, and it is going to become more important that you are selling and installing quality products.

3. I have been spending an enormous amount of time over the last two weeks working with the NJGCA Inspection Committee and each of the four contractors that will be bidding on the Next Generation Inspection Program. Chief Administrator of MVC Ray Martinez will be on-hand as our keynote speaker during lunch to answer your questions regarding the new program.

4. We will conclude our day with a valuable seminar given by Automotive Training Institute, which will leave you with tips on how to run your shops more efficiently and more profitably, while allowing you to take more time off for leisure and your families. Who wouldn't want that?!

Please CLICK HERE to register. I want to take this opportunity to thank the NJGCA Inspection Committee for taking time away from their businesses to meet with me so that we could submit recommendations regarding the new equipment for the Next Generation Inspection Program. The meeting was extremely constructive and the follow-up meetings and report that we've now given to each of the contractors should prove to be helpful in accomplishing some positive results for each of you and your shops.

There are several other matters that I need to discuss quickly. One of them is for our members that are Gulf dealers. We have learned that Gulf locations are being sold to a large distributor and it appears that Gulf has yet to offer Right of First Refusal. I sent letters to all Gulf dealers, but in case you did not receive one, please call NJGCA HQ immediately, I am having a meeting here, Friday, February 5th at 11:00 AM to discuss possible action. If you think that this pertains to you, please call immediately. I'll share more details as I learn of them.

Finally, I've been hearing some very disturbing reports in recent weeks about a high number of robberies of gas stations occurring. Unfortunately, this industry is very susceptible to these types of crimes, but there are some things that you can do to protect your business and your employees:

1. Light your station up like Yankee Stadium. Robberies don't occur when potential witnesses can clearly see what's going on.
2. Have visible security cameras placed in obvious locations around the property.
3. Post signs stating that attendants do not carry cash on them.
4. Consider having your attendants wear a "Life-Alert" type necklace, which is worn underneath the clothing, but the push of a button gets the police on their way within second, and the robbers won't even know that a call for help has been made.

I'll get you more information to you regarding this specific technology next week. I know we have a member that uses it. You can't be too careful with your employees and your business.

I really hope I'll see you next Wednesday at the Auto Repair and Tire Shop Summit!

Emission Repair Technician ENTIRE Training Course
Eleven (11) Full Days -- 9 AM to 5 PM on Tuesdays
January 12, 19, 26 ... February 2, 9, 16, 23 ... March 1, 8, 15, 22

Emission Repair Technician Re-Certification Class
Four (4) Full Days
Days: 9AM - 5PM on Tuesdays -- March 1, 8, 15 22

For more details on all of these classes, click HERE.
For a registration form for any of these classes, click HERE.

FUTURE CLASSES WILL BE ADDED UPON REQUEST AND ACCORDING TO DEMAND. CONTACT DEBBIE at 732-256-9646 or DEBBIE@NJGCA.ORG TO LET HER KNOW YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING A SPECIFIC CLASS. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO GAUGE YOUR NEEDS AND KEEP TRACK OF THOSE WISHING TO PARTICIPATE!!

CLASSIFIEDS! -- FOR SALE & HELP WANTED ADS

NJGCA MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER GILL ENERGY LOOKING TO HIRE FOR (3) DIFFERENT POSITIONS!

For more information about these positions, and to submit a resume for consideration, please contact: ravigill@gillenergy.com.

02/03/2016:
Chicago Pre-Empted from Adopting Tobacco Tax: Illinois state law prohibits the city of Chicago from enacting Emanuel’s proposed taxes
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proposed a sweeping anti-tobacco ordinance that would increase the legal age to purchase tobacco to 21; set minimum prices for certain tobacco products; mandate minimum package sizes for various products; prohibit the redemption of tobacco product coupons; outlaw multipack discount pricing; require minimum package sizes of 20 cigarettes, 20 little cigars and four large cigars unless a cigar has a retail price of more than $3 and enact new taxes on other tobacco products. The proposed ordinance would tax other tobacco products at the following tax rates: Roll-your-own tobacco at a rate of $6.60 per ounce, smokeless tobacco at a rate of $1.80 per ounce, little cigars at a rate of 15 cents per cigar, large cigars at a rate of 90 cents per cigar. While Emanuel is proposing the implementation of these new taxes, Illinois state law prohibits the city of Chicago from enacting any such taxes.

02/02/16
Voters to Decide About Gas Tax Allocation
Lawmakers seemed to be making headway on the transportation crisis when a constitutional amendment dedicating gas tax revenues unanimously passed both houses last month. Problem is, when you talk to residents, most have never heard of it. The resolution will ask voters if all gas tax money should be reserved for the Transportation Trust Fund. Right now all but about $40 million gets dedicated. The latest Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind Poll found the issue isn’t much more than a blip on New Jersey residents’ radar. “Forty-six percent say they’ve heard absolutely nothing about this and that’s surprising because it has been a topic of debate in New Jersey for the last couple of years,” said Dan Cassino, political science professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University. New Jerseyans largely oppose raising the gas tax, and the constitutional amendment is said to be the framework for increasing it. That said, Professor Cassino says those polled would support the amendment, despite never having heard of it.

02/01/2016:
Will gas prices see the shadow of an increase this week?
The groundhog may see his shadow this week, but he won't see gas prices rise. The prognostication doesn't come from Petroleum Pete or some other underground-dwelling animal, but from our own gas guru, Jeff Pelton, senior petroleum analyst for Gas Buddy.com. Last week ended with crude oil prices rising to $33.74 from a low of $30 and change on Monday. Wholesale gas also took an upward turn, finishing at almost $1.13, according to the NASDAQ website. Despite that uptick, there is still a lot of crude oil sloshing around in storage tanks, 494 million barrels worth, 8.4 million barrels more than the previous week, according to the Federal Energy Administration. The average gas prices in the state last week seemed to bear that out. Drivers woke up to an average price of $1.68 Monday, which slipped from $1.72, before the blizzard, to $1.69 on Friday. Which leads Pelton to predict that retailers should keep their prices stable for the week, unless the market sends a price increase downstream to retailers.

We have had a number of NJGCA members successfully reduce their rate per kWh signing up through our energy saving program. We know it's difficult to collect 12 months worth of previous electric bills to get an "accurate" analysis when comparing a variable rate to a fixed rate, but we now have another option available.

This new solution is a power purchase option; the other program is still in full force and has saved members thousands of dollars. If you sign up for the power purchase option, you will be grouped with other NJGCA members until the minimum kW demand is acquired. By pooling the member's usage together, you will be able to take advantage, as large energy users do, and receive a lower kWh rate.

Each member will receive their own contract. Each member is responsible to sign and return the agreement the day it is received in order to secure the price for their group.

Please do your due diligence, so when you receive the proposal and the agreement you will be able to make an intelligent decision.

If by chance, you still want us to assess you bills, to give you a price to compare, we will require 12 months of your most recent utility bills.

There are no bills required, but we would still like to have one bill per meter on file to check account #'s, meter #'s service addresses and other pertinent information incase there is a problem.

The term of the agreement is for 12 months. During this term period, you will have price protection against any energy price increases along with a low fixed kWh rate.

If you are interested in becoming part of this power purchase option, please contact Greg Cannon at the NJGCA.

Remember when you sign up your energy through the NJGCA Energy Program, TMP makes a considerable donation to the NJGCA Scholarship Fund through their proceeds. This has no affect on your rate, and costs you nothing out of pocket.

We hope to help hundreds of NJGCA members reduce their utility costs by participating in this and our other cost reduction programs. Our purpose, in the endeavor, is to help NJGCA members lower their energy costs while supporting the NJGCA Scholarship Fund.

Contact GREG CANNON at 732-256-9646 or email Greg at greg@njgca.org. Mention that you are interested in saving money on your energy bills. NJGCA & TMP Energy Solutions will handle all the rest.

POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC

DEFENDING OUR MEMBERS.
PROTECTING YOUR INTERESTS.
ANSWER THE CALL & CONTRIBUTE TODAY!!

Promoting our agenda in Trenton is of utmost importance to NJGCA and our members.

However, in order to truly affect the debate, we must ensure our friends in the Legislature are re-elected. It is for this reason that your Association has established the NJGCA PAC.

For too long, the weight of funding our Political Action Committee, the arm of the Association responsible for political donations, has rested upon a few. This is not only unfair to those few members who have shouldered this burden, but means we are not utilizing our full strength to affect the debate in Trenton.

To truly understand the importance of supporting our allies, consider our successes in Trenton:

We defeated BELOW COST SELLING
We made history in getting FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL signed into law!
We have built large support for RIGHT TO REPAIR and got it passed out of the Assembly
We defended your small business against the false accusations of Attorney General Anne Milgram
We gained wide support to move New Jersey to an all PIF Inspection System and close the CIF lanes
...and MUCH MORE!!

In each instance, we achieved these goals with the help of our friends in the Legislature!

If every member contributes just $100.00 we will be able to provide the help necessary to ensure victory for our allies.

PLEASE SEND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO:
NJGCA PAC
4900 Route 33 West, Suite 100
Wall Township, NJ 07753
Please make your donation payable to NJGCA PAC

I understand that times are tough for all NJGCA members, but this is just as important as any battle we have fought in the past.

We have made great progress in Trenton. I hope that you will answer the call.

*NEW*Energy Information Agency Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices

Each week, the Energy Information Administration publishes a list of average gasoline prices for the previous three weeks. NJGCA will begin including this list with the Weekly Road Warrior. Remember, these prices are for reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.