I'm going to try to keep a very complicated issue as simple as possible. Here's what you need to know.

1. Any news headline saying “Gas Tax Passed” is misleading. The process is not complete!! The Assembly passed a bill late last night, which also has to be passed by the Senate. The Senate does not seem to be on board, so there is a lot of negotiating as we wait for the Senate to make the next move.

2. YOU MUST KEEP LOOKING FOR ALERTS FROM ME. This is a volatile and fluid process. Nothing is written in stone yet, even what you read this morning in the headlines. The proposal that we expected, and supported, two days ago is now off the table. We do not support the Assembly legislation! There is nothing in it for NJGCA members!

3. The fiscal year ends at midinight on Thursday (June 30th). There is a mad scramble to have a gas tax increase go into effect on July 1. You should be prepared that the gasoline tax could increase by approximately 23 cents AS EARLY AS FRIDAY MORNING. Again, future alerts will clarify this as we get more information!

4. It appears as if the increased tax on diesel will not go into effect until January 1, 2017.

5. I am working right now to try to get a delay in the enactment of the tax in order to give proper notice to all retailers. On the day the tax increase goes into effect, you will be required to report how much inventory you have in the ground and pay the amount of the new tax on those gallons. If you are not paying attention, and you fail to raise your price on the day the tax increase is enacted, you will be paying thousands to the State that you have failed to charge your customers.

6. NJGCA is monitoring the negotiations and will keep you informed, but it is YOUR responsibility to keep checking for future alerts. Stay tuned!

We have received information that the Office of Weights and Measures and the Department of Consumer Affairs, on orders from the Attorney General, are going to begin issuing summonses for locations that have an excessive difference between their cash and credit prices. There are many locations that are posting a price difference of 10 cents or more. At current prices, the cost of credit card processing and all transaction fees should be between 6 and 8 cents.

If you are posting excessive credit prices, please STOP immediately. NJGCA will have no way to defend you if you are caught up in this snag. Remember, the object of cash/credit pricing is to permit you to recoup your credit card fees. Anything more than that will be considered by the authorities as taking advantage of consumers.

If your competitors are not doing things properly, please make sure that other gasoline stations in your community know about this message, as only NJGCA members will receive it. I’m not really concerned with them being fined, but I am concerned that their actions could spark a movement to have laws passed with cash/credit restrictions. I don’t want any bad apples ruining what we have worked so hard to achieve for all of the good guys. While you are visiting them, let them know that they should join NJGCA and they can receive these messages themselves.

For those of you still paying credit card processing and transcation fees in the higher range, you are using the wrong credit card processor! Please give us a call and we will get you a quote on lower rates!