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September 6, 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:

• Gas Tax Increase: How We Got Here; Gas Tax Increase Reignites Self-Serve Talk; An Important Reminder on A/B Operator Licensure; Gas Station Operator Training Survey; Reminder: Young Professionals Fall Kick-Off Event

NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS
- Monmouth County: Gas Station and Repair Shop Business Since 2001
- Bergen County: Shell Gas Station with 6-Bay Repair Shop for Sale

NEWS AROUND THE STATE
• Myth-Busting Vehicle Purchasing Behavior
• Local Governments Continue to Hike Smoking Age
• NJ Lawmaker: Don’t Ban Plastic Straws, Just Make Them By-Request
• NJ Hiking Gas Tax By 4.3 Cents A Gallon To 41.4 Cents

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!
??????• Emissions Inspector Training Class, WEDNESDAY September 19th, THURSDAY October 18th

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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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE:

GAS TAX INCREASE: HOW WE GOT HERE
GAS TAX INCREASES REIGNITES SELF-SERVE TALK
AN IMPORTANT REMINDER ON A/B OPERATOR LICENSURE
GAS STATION OPERATOR TRAINING SURVEY
REMINDER: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS KICK-OFF EVENT

On several occasions since May, I have alluded to the fact that there was a potential for the gas tax to go up again as per the 2016 law that was passed that raised the tax by 23¢. A provision in that law requires that the revenue generated each year must be $2 billion per year over the eight year lifespan of the law for a total of $16 billion. The overall volume of gasoline and diesel that has been sold in the past year is weighed down because New Jersey lost gallons to our neighbors in New York and Delaware. Out-of-state motorists that made a habit of making their purchase in New Jersey are no longer doing so. The Treasurer announced last Thursday that because of this shortfall the gas tax will be increasing by 4.3¢ on October 1st as required by law. We are not only disappointed but angry. Here’s why we are angry: on May 4th of this year, Eric Blomgren from our office prepared a memo detailing the revenues at that point that the TTF was short, and calculated that the tax could rise as much as 3¢. He also calculated how we could increase the tax by only 1¢ each October 1st for the remainder of the eight year life cycle, which would be five more years. Since we are competing with New York, any further reduction in the difference between New York’s tax and New Jersey’s tax will create another serious loss of gallons to New York. New York will be collecting tax dollars on gallons that belong in New Jersey. I fear a spiraling effect that will cause continued increases for the next few years. We finally met with the Treasurer in late July, after numerous attempts to do so. After we presented our case, Eric was invited back to spend a day with the accountants in the Treasurer's office. At that point, we were hopeful that the NJGCA proposal would be adopted, and the tax would only go up by a penny. We were stunned last week when the Treasurer's office announced an increase of 4.3¢. I’m sure there will be more details to share, so please pay attention to your emails over the coming weeks.

For more information on NJGCA’s position on the gas tax increase, read our Press Release

Read us in the news:
NJGCA in the News: NJ Gas Tax to Increase Again By 4.3 Cents in October [NJ 101.5]
NJGCA in the News: Gas Taxes Going Up Again in New Jersey [WCBS Newsradio 880]
NJGCA in the News: N.J. fuel-tax hike leaves cheap gas in the rearview mirror [Philly.com]
NJGCA in the News: The gas tax was just raised, and it could keep going up [NJ.com]

When we met with the Treasurer, we once again brought up the issue of permitting self-serve as a means to lower the price on the pump and mitigate the effects of the tax increase. We continue to push this as an alternative with legislators, however, key legislators on this issue have not been returning our calls. One influential Senator, Declan O’Scanlan has not wavered in his support to permit self-serve gasoline in New Jersey. Senator O’Scanlan conducted a radio interview a few days ago, you can click HERE to listen to his interview. Senator O’Scanlan is truly on our side, and is willing to take any political hit that may result from his support on self-serve. You can hear him say so in the radio interview.

As we get closer to the October 13^th deadline to be in compliance with new UST rules, I understand many of you are making arrangements to take your A/B Operator training classes through Rutgers and signing up to take the exam through ICC. By October 13^th, you must have a class A/B Operator and Class C Operators at your location. If you do not have an A/B Operator by that date, you must hire one (at least temporarily) to be in compliance while you are working on obtaining your license. We understand Rutgers is offering a training date on October 19^th, but simply proving your plan to take the training class and exam is not enough to be in compliance. If you have not already, sign up to take the class and exam as soon as possible in order to be in compliance by the mandated date.

I want to remind gas station owners that we are conducting a survey to determine if our members are clear about their responsibilities regarding operator training and the new testing requirements by NJDEP of their USTs. I still can’t get a grasp on how many of you are not working to comply with the requirements by the deadline of October 13th. We are trying here at NJGCA to do our best to keep you out of trouble. If you have not completed the survey, please do so now, you can access the survey by clicking HERE.

Finally, I want to remind our members again that if you that have young motivated people working in your shops and/or stations, or anticipate handing your business over to the next generation down the line, we hope they will be able to attend our Young Professionals Fall Kick-Off event on Monday, September 17th at Red Rock’s rooftop bar area from 6-8 PM. This is an excellent opportunity to network with other people with similar interests and for us to learn what new ideas, technologies, and opportunities are coming down the line which could potentially further our businesses and the industry. If you know of someone who might be interested in attending, please send them our registration page to sign up! For any of our MBPs that would be interested in sponsoring, please email either Michelle or Eric at michelle@njgca.org or eric@njgca.org for more information.

That's all for this week-
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

TRAINING CLASSES!!
All classes held at NJGCA HQ -- 4900 Route 33 West, Wall Township, NJ 07753

Emissions Inspector Training Class - One Day Only!
WEDNESDAY, September 19th, 2018 -- 7 AM to 3 PM
OR
THURSDAY, October 18th, 2018 -- 7 AM to 3 PM
Want one of your technicians to become a NJ Emissions Inspector? We can help! Our one-day class will provide all the information for becoming a NJ Emissions Inspector, and the State will administer the written test the very same day at our offices! We are offering the class: Wednesday, September 19th and Thursday, October 18th from 7:00am to 3:00pm.
Cost is $275 for members.
Click HERE for September and HERE for October registration forms

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:

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 approved 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

9/4/18
Myth-Busting Vehicle Purchasing Behavior
Americans are flocking to pickup trucks and big SUVs because gasoline prices are so low: It’s a common headline nowadays but not actually accurate. That’s one of the conclusions from the Fuels Institute’s latest study, Driving Vehicle Sales—Utility, Affordability and Efficiency. The July 2018 study examines which market trends have influenced vehicle sales, crunching vehicle sales figures from 2003 to 2017 as well as the interplay of retail gasoline prices and vehicle fuel efficiency and price in decision-making.

9/4/18
Local Governments Continue to Hike Smoking Age
Local governments are taking matters into their own hands when it comes to enacting a higher smoking age, Stateline/Pew Charitable Trusts reports. Currently there are only six states with 21 as the legal smoking age. In July, Massachusetts joined Oregon, California, Maine, Hawaii and New Jersey in raising the legal smoking age to 21. Illinois had approved a bill to raise the tobacco buying age to 21, but Gov. Bruce Rauner refused to sign it last week. While dozens of other states have similar bills percolating in their legislatures—and many will face the issue next year—the majority of the age hikes have come at the local level, with nearly 350 cities, counties and towns in 21 states now requiring tobacco purchasers and users to be 21. In most states, those age 18 and older can buy tobacco products. Three states have a minimum age of 19: Utah, Alaska and Alabama.

8/27/18
NJ Lawmaker: Don’t Ban Plastic Straws, Just Make Them By-Request
With the Legislature preparing to return for a fall session that could include a bill banning restaurants from providing plastic straws to customers, a state lawmaker is proposing an alternative he said would mark a step along the way: Only give plastic straws and stirrers to people who ask for them. Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, D-Somerset, said he supports banning single-use plastics but that a replacement for straws isn’t yet ready. “If we had a environmentally friendly, ready to go, mass produced item in place, I’m all for that. And I think we’re going to get there,” he said. “But in the meantime, I want to do something that would have an immediate impact, and that would be to change behavior as we head towards eliminating straws.”

8/30/18
NJ Hiking Gas Tax By 4.3 Cents A Gallon To 41.4 Cents
New Jersey's gas tax will climb by 4.3 cents a gallon, or more than 10 percent, under a bipartisan law enacted in 2016, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's administration said Thursday. The 41.4 cent-per-gallon rate will go into effect on Oct. 1 and means New Jersey would have the fifth-highest gas tax in the country, up from No. 8, according to 2017 data from the conservative Tax Foundation. Though it will still be lower than neighboring New York and Pennsylvania. Murphy's administration sought to shift blame for the higher rate, which stems from a bipartisan law enacted under Republican Chris Christie in 2016. "The precise change in the gas tax rate is dictated by several factors, all of which are beyond the control of the current administration," Treasurer Elizabeth Muoio said in a statement. The law calls for a steady revenue stream to support a $2 billion a year trust fund for road, bridge and other transportation work, up from $1.6 billion before the 2016 law went into effect.

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 PARTICIPATION: 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.