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November 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:

• Jersey City Payroll Tax Update; Paid Sick Leave Reminder/Wage and Hour Webinar; $15 Minimum Wage Revisited; What's Going On in the Marketplace; Important NJDEP DataMiner Updates

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

• Brine on NJ Roads: Helpful, But It Can Harm Land and Vehicles
• These Tainted Supplements Led To Prolonged Erections And Even Surgery In Some Men
• Altria is Reportedly in Talks to Take a Minority Stake in Juul
• Gas Prices Slide into December
• Murphy On Minimum Wage: ‘I’ve Run Out Of Patience’
• Rip-off Nuclear Subsidy Bill Needs Emergency Repairs | Moran
• Trump Injects More Chaos Into OPEC As Oil Prices Fluctuate
• Jersey City Payroll Tax Wins Unanimous Council Approval

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!

??????• Emissions Inspector Training Class, THURSDAY December 6th
??????• Entire Emission Repair Technician Program: October 8, 10, 15, 24, 29, 31, November 5, 7, 19, 26, December 3
??????• Emission Repair Technician Program RECERTIFICATION: November 7, 19, 26, December 3

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:

JERSEY CITY PAYROLL TAX UPDATE
PAID SICK LEAVE REMINDER / WAGE AND HOUR WEBINAR
$15 MINIMUM WAGE REVISITED
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MARKETPLACE
IMPORTANT NJDEP DATAMINER UPDATES

The Jersey City Council has now unanimously passed an ordinance that will impose a 1% payroll tax on all employers within the borders of Jersey City. Resident employees of these businesses in Jersey City are exempt. Once again, I feel this is a very bad precedent to be set, as you can be assured, other large municipalities with budget problems will soon be at the table requesting similar permissions from the state.

This is a reminder that as employers, as of October 29 you are required by the new mandatory paid sick leave law to give an official notice to each of your employees that they are entitled to paid sick leave. This fact was reinforced several weeks ago on the successful webinar we held to educate our members in more detail on the new paid sick leave law. For those of you who were unable to join or would like to listen again, you can find a recording of that presentation HERE. We will also have the link to this webinar on our Paid Sick Leave page, as well as our webinar archive, which can be found under “Resources” on our home page. Our next webinar in our employment law series on Wage and Hour laws will be held January 9 from 2 to 3 PM and will be hosted by Alicyn Craig, from our MBP MARC Law. You can register for that webinar NOW.

Minimum wage was back in the news this week as Governor Murphy grows frustrated with the lack of action by the legislature. Enacting $15 minimum wage was one of his strongest campaign pledges and as I’ve mentioned before, I am very surprised that the rag-tag army of small business organizations has been able to hold this off past June. We continue to fight for certain reasonable concessions such as an exemption for younger and inexperienced employees. Such a training wage exemption makes a lot of sense in our business, where we employ many high school and college students. We also continue to ask for a long phase-in period. Governor Murphy wants full $15 per hour as fast as he can get it. Our coalition believes it is reasonable to ask for a 5-7 year phase-in.

Here are some other minimum wage headlines that have been in the news this week:

$15/hour in N.J. isn’t ‘fair’ if no one wins
Phil Murphy promised a $15 minimum wage. Here's why it hasn't happened.
N.J.'s Top Lawmaker Blasts Murphy for 'Showboating' on $15 Minimum Wage Debate

I have held off discussing much about the marketplace in recent weeks because it is quite obvious to you every time the truck rolls across your driveway that the wholesale price is going down. I am extremely pleased to learn that many of you are taking advantage of the downward trend and are holding your retail prices steady. Some members have reported margins above 50¢ a gallon. However, as I drive around I still see some who continue to use an aggressive pricing strategy that will drive margins down below 15¢ again. If you can add and subtract, please multiply a lower number of gallons times the higher profit margin and you will clearly see that a higher profit margin leaves many more dollars in your pockets. If you can’t figure this out, your businesses survival is at risk.

NJDEP just updated their DataMiner reports which shows expired or invalid UST registrations. By clicking this link and scrolling down to the “Underground Storage Tank” section, you can search these expired or invalid UST registrations by county. This database also provides users with LSRPs, Distributors, attorneys, and site remediation 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!
THURSDAY, December 6th, 2048 -- 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 Thursday, December 6th from 7:00am to 3:00pm.
Cost is $275 for members.
Click HERE for registration form

Want to become an emission repair technician/facility?
Entire Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP) Training Classes
Sections 1-7
October 8, 10, 15, 24, 29, 31 [TBD],
November 5
Sections 8, 9, 10 (RECERTIFICATION)
November 7, 19, 26
December 3
1 PM to 9 PM

Stop turning away work!!
The New Jersey Inspection Program requires vehicles that fail emissions inspection to go to a Licensed Certified Emission Repair Facility and have a Licensed Emission Repair Technician perform the repairs! When the new Emissions Inspection program begins, a list of Certified Emission Repair Facilities will be given to the vehicle owners who fail the New Jersey Emission Inspection. If you want your business name on the list – make sure you have a Certified Licensed Emission Repair Technician and you are licensed as a Emission Repair Facility! Those signing up for the FULL training course will attend sections 1-10. Recertification classes start November 7.
Full ETEP class fees for members are $2,195 and non-members are &2,395
Recertification fees for members are $729 and non-members are $879.
Click HERE for registration form.

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

11/28/18
Brine on NJ Roads: Helpful, But It Can Harm Land and Vehicles
. . .Beyond environmental impacts, brine also creates a problem for New Jersey car and truck owners that motorists in other parts of the country don't necessarily encounter. "Not only does brine stick to the road better; it sticks to your car better," said Sal Risalvato, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline, Convenience Store & Automotive Association. And the underbelly of one's vehicle, he says, is at risk of corrosion if the salty material isn't washed away every once in a while. Brine can access nooks and crannies that rock salt can not. "Fuel lines, brakes lines, exhaust system — they are all going to be subject to corrosion," Risalvato said.

11/28/18
These Tainted Supplements Led To Prolonged Erections And Even Surgery In Some Men
The FDA urged people this week not to buy or use Rhino male enhancement products because they may contain dangerous, hidden ingredients. People who took Rhino products reported chest pain, severe headaches, prolonged erections — sometimes requiring surgical intervention — and even hospitalization due to extreme drops in blood pressure, the agency said. The products are sold under a variety of names that include Rhino, such as Platinum Rhino 25000 or Krazzy Rhino 25000. The supplements are not FDA-approved to treat male sexual dysfunction, despite the claims made on their packaging.

11/28/18
Altria is Reportedly in Talks to Take a Minority Stake in Juul
Altria is in talks to take a significant minority stake in e-cigarette company Juul, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Any deal is likely several weeks away, The Wall Street Journal reported. Juul was last valued at $16 billion in a private fundraising round this summer. A tie-up between the two companies could give Juul experience that Altria has gained through decades of regulation and litigation while giving Altria a jolt in revenue. However, a deal would mark a significant shift for Juul, which has repeatedly distanced itself from Big Tobacco companies like Altria. Juul declined to comment. Altria said it doesn't comment on "rumors and speculation."

11/26/18
Gas Prices Slide into December
On Monday, Nov. 26, the national gas price average hit $2.56—seven cents lower than last week. It’s also only seven cents higher than the lowest gas price average of the year, which was $2.49 back in January. May brought the most expensive price of $2.97, AAA reported.

11/26/18
Murphy On Minimum Wage: ‘I’ve Run Out Of Patience’
Gov. Phil Murphy is frustrated by the lack of movement on a bill that would gradually boost the minimum wage to $15 an hour, saying his team sent a draft to legislative leaders months ago that was never given serious consideration. “I’ve run out of patience,” Murphy said in a sit down interview with POLITICO in his office. “And quite frankly, the other side that is opposed to this has run out of arguments.” But the Democratic governor also said he is encouraged that Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin is calling for swift movement on the issue and is working to craft a bill in the coming weeks. Murphy says he wants this legislation to land on his desk before the holidays.

11/25/18
Rip-off Nuclear Subsidy Bill Needs Emergency Repairs | Moran
As the Board of Public Utilities writes the fine print to implement massive subsidies for PSEG's three nuclear power plants in South Jersey, most of the worst fears are being confirmed. New Jersey consumers are likely to get whacked with a $300 million rate increase to provide a windfall for PSEG stockholders. Even by Trenton standards, this one smells bad. We learned in September that nuclear plants outside of New Jersey will be eligible for a subsidy. Imagine that. Pennsylvania gets the jobs and the juice; we pay the bill. Now, the BPU has confirmed a second outrageous feature: PSEG could get a subsidy of $300 million, even if the BPU concludes that a much smaller subsidy would suffice.

11/21/18
Trump Injects More Chaos Into OPEC As Oil Prices Fluctuate
Trump caused a stir yesterday when he issued a statement signaling clear U.S. backing for Saudi Arabia despite the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He stayed in realpolitik mode, later telling reporters that the Saudis have helped keep oil prices down. And he tweeted this morning, "Oil prices getting lower. Great! Like a big Tax Cut for America and the World. Enjoy! $54, was just $82. Thank you to Saudi Arabia, but let’s go lower!" The big question: How Trump's posture toward the Saudis could affect the early December OPEC meeting.

11/21/18
Jersey City Payroll Tax Wins Unanimous Council Approval
A new tax on city businesses was given unanimous approval by the City Council Tuesday night following a nearly four-hour public hearing that saw dozens of speakers, most of them urging the council to approve the tax to help fund the city's public school district. Council members said they sympathized with the concerns of local business owners and groups, who object to the tax as an undue burden, but added that the school district is facing a financial "crisis" the tax will help solve. The state is gradually eliminating a form of aid that would have brought the district $175 million this year.

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.