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March 29, 2018

Dear NJGCA Member:

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

Here is what you will find in this edition:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE:

• NACS Government Relations Conference; Paid Sick Leave Update; What's Going on in the Gas Market; Update: Male Enhancement Letters; Happy Easter and Passover

NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS
- Monmouth County: Gas Station and Repair Shop Business Since 2001
- Asbury Park: Commercial Building for Sale. Possible Sale of Business
- Bergen County: Shell Gas Station with 6-Bay Repair Shop for Sale

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

• What Murphy's treasurer said about lottery, pensions at confirmation hearing

• State’s Bonded Debt Soars To Nosebleed Heights: $46.1 Billion

• Pallone Calls on FDA to Regulate 'Juuling'
• D.C. Circuit Rules in Favor of the Center for Tobacco Products

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD
• The Amato Agency: Garage Insurance and Workers Compensation!
• ATS Environmental: Confidence in your Tank & Compliance Testing
• Bellomo Fuel: Exceptional Service, Aggressive Petroleum Marketing
• CBIZ Insurance: Our Business is Growing Yours!
• Gill Energy: Getting you There!
• Lending Capital: "Commercial Loans Made Easy" Program
• Salomone Brothers: Tank Testing and Environmental Compliance
• TMP Energy Solutions: Another Way to Save On Your Energy Bills

POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
• Participate in the NJGCA PAC today and help us keep our Agenda rolling in Trenton!

Energy Information Agency Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices

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TO SEE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL -- CLICK HERE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE:

NACS GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CONFERENCE
PAID SICK LEAVE UPDATE
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE GAS MARKET
UPDATE: MALE ENHANCEMENT DEMAND LETTERS
HAPPY EASTER AND PASSOVER

Eric and I traveled to DC last week for the NACS Government Relations Conference because there are some important issues we wanted to discuss with our members of Congress. Among those issues were payment security, data breaches, and rest areas. In particular, the fact that major card brands set card security standards that may stifle innovations to improve security, especially as data breach concerns are increasing. Additionally, we advocated against rest area commercialization which would allow state-run rest areas to sell fuel and food, which is unfair to our members and small business owners. You’ll be hearing me talk about these issues more in the upcoming months.

Eric and I also attended a hearing on Monday in the Senate Labor Committee regarding paid sick leave, thank you to our members Marty Gallagher and Bob Catteani who came and testified against this harmful legislation (see pictures below). NJGCA is the only organization that brought actual business owners to testify. I've said this many times before, but even though I have a relationship with legislators, when they hear directly from the small business owner, it has more impact than if I were to say the same thing. I invited other members to join us, knowing that it is always difficult for you to leave your businesses. Im extremely grateful to Marty and Bob for their effort. Yes, NJGCA and our coalition of organizations have successfully had this legislation amended to be less burdensome, however, the bill in its entirety is still a problem to small businesses. The legislation was voted and passed by the entire assembly on Monday afternoon with all Democrats voting yes and all Republicans voting no. NJGCA is still seeking changes to this legislation that will exempt businesses with fewer than 10 employees, and wish to thank Assemblyman Robert Auth (R-Bergen) for proposing that amendment in the Assembly. I’ll keep you posted as this legislation continues moving down the track.

L to R: Bob Catteani, Marty Gallagher, Sal Risalvato

In the past week there have been some increases in gas prices that have offset the decreases that took place several weeks earlier. The price drop several weeks ago was due to the fact that the price of crude oil dropped from $65 a barrel to $60 a barrel. The increase this week was the result of the price of crude oil going back up to $65. You may see further increases because the refineries will start shipping the summer blend of gasoline that costs more to produce. It is possible you could see another 15 to 20 cent increase in the coming weeks. However, I part ways with most analysts as my instinct is telling me that as we get into the summer months, the market traders will recognize that demand does not meet expectations and will begin dropping the price in order to avoid swimming in their own product. Lets see if I’m right.

A quick update on the male enhancement product lawsuit. I am told that there are still many c-store operators who are choosing to ignore or do nothing about the demand letter they received. It is extremely important that they contact NJGCA immediately as the worst thing they can do is to ignore this letter. We have documented proof that those c-store owners that ignored this in other states now have a judgment filed against them for over $100,000. These businesses will never be able to borrow a penny until that judgment is paid. It will be very sad for a business owner who initially had no bad intention to cheat anyone get wrapped up in this frivolous lawsuit by having a judgment against them.

Another reminder to sign up for the seminar we will be having with the NJDEP if you have not done so yet. There is no reason you all should not be signed up for this if you have underground storage tanks. I’m doing my best to make sure none of you call me with violations because you don’t understand something, which is very easy to happen with NJDEP regulations. Please sign up for this seminar on April 17th, this event is first come first serve and is filling up quickly! You can register here.

On a final note, I want to wish all of our Catholic and Jewish members a happy Easter and Passover. We hope you enjoy your holidays!

Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

TRAINING CLASSES!!

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

FOR SALE:

Business For Sale: Monmouth County gas station and repair shop in business since 2001 is for sale. Owner is relocating out of state and is interested in selling business and equipment. Owner is open to limited financing. Business has a strong 10 year lease. The building has two repair bays and the gas pumps are leased to a large independent tenant. Repair shop business currently employs a Manager and two full-time Technicians. For inquiries and more info, please call Mark at 908-670-7798.

FOR SALE:

Commercial Building in Asbury Park, Possible Sale of Business, Too! For listing information, please click HERE.

FOR SALE:

Shell Gas Station with 6-Bay Repair Shop for Sale in Bergen County!

Business established in 1980. Fully equipped repair shop with 5 lifts including an alignment rack with a 2-year-old Hunter Hawkeye alignment machine. New Hunter tire machine & wheel balancer. AAA aproved and very busy.

Towing business also available which includes 3 Freightliner/JerrDan flatbeds (2015, 2016 & 2017), a 2012 Dodge crew cab wrecker with a Jerrdan Quick Pick & dual cable winch & 2 service trucks (a 2012 GMC 2500 utility truck with a plow & a 2014 Ford transit battery/service vehicle).

Pumping over 1,000,000 gallons per year. 100x300 lot with plenty of parking. Excellent location!!! Call Jim @ 201-851-3084.

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

3/27/18
What Murphy's Treasurer Said About Lottery, Pensions At Confirmation Hearing
On Monday, state treasurer Liz Muoio defended the administration's decision to reversed the prior administration’s pension determination to cut the fund's assumed rate of return -- which is used to calculate how much money state and local governments will need to pay out benefits -- from 7.65 percent to 7 percent. Muoio instead elected to implement the rate change gradually over five years. She also informed lawmakers that the Treasury Department has launched a performance evaluation of the state lottery contract with Northstar New Jersey, which runs the lottery's marketing and sales operations. A review showed lottery expenses are growing at a faster pace than revenues, prompting the "evaluation," she said. A spokeswoman for the Treasury Department said the review should be wrapped up in the coming weeks.

3/26/18
State’s Bonded Debt Soars To Nosebleed Heights: $46.1 Billion
The results of New Jersey’s latest big-picture fiscal checkup are in, and they reveal a state that continues to be saddled with a staggering amount debt — despite recent efforts to wind down Trenton’s time-worn borrowing habit. New Jersey’s bonded debt grew by nearly $3.2 billion during the past fiscal year, reaching a record-high total of $46.1 billion, according the latest official debt report released by the Department of Treasury. That sum easily outpaces the state’s annual budget of just under $35 billion, and it doesn’t include roughly $725 million in borrowing that’s occurred so far during the current fiscal year. It also helped New Jersey maintain its standing as one of the nation’s most-indebted states, ranking fourth highest in the categories of net tax-supported debt and per-capita debt.

3/26/18
Pallone Calls On FDA To Regulate 'Juuling'
U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J., 6th District), municipal leaders and health advocates on Monday called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action to regulate “juuling” and protect children from its harmful effects. Earlier this month, Pallone sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, voicing his concerns over FDA’s decision to delay a rule that will allow JUUL to stay on the market until 2022 without premarket review by the FDA. That will mean that JUUL will stay on the market for over four more years without proper public health oversight. The need for FDA oversight has become more critical as e-cigarette products like JUUL have, according to recent press reports, become widely used by minors.

3/23/18
D.C. Circuit Rules in Favor of the Center for Tobacco Products
On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the federal Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) may charge retailers with more than one regulatory violation when multiple violations are observed during a single inspection. The court also ruled that the CTP may issue warning letters following the first failed inspection without providing an opportunity for a hearing at that time, provided that the retailer ultimately has an opportunity to be challenge the charged violations—even if that opportunity does not arise until months or years after the first failed inspection.

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD:

TMP Energy Solutions

Another Way to Save on Your Energy Bills

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.

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 reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.