May 2, 2014

Dear NJGCA Member:

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

Here is what you will find in this edition:

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE: GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS! 

MESSAGE FROM THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL
NJGCA SPRING MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
PROPOSAL TO APPLY SALES TAX TO GASOLINE
NEW REPORT ON SAFETY INSPECTIONS AND CAR CRASHES
NJGCA PAC FUNDRAISER - HELP US COMPETE WITH WAWA
TAKE GAS STATION CRIME SURVEY!

I received a call this week from the State Fire Marshal, who raised some very serious concerns that I must share with you. In early April, police received reports of suspicious activity at a Wawa gas station in South Jersey. The driver of a van had pulled into the station and began to fill four 55 gallon drums with gasoline, IN THE BACK OF THE VAN!  When questioned, the driver indicated that he was bringing the gasoline to New York to sell it to people there for a much higher price. A security alert was sent out to Police and fire departments across NJ (click here to read the Security Alert). What prompted the phone call to me this week was the fact that a second van was observed, also in a Wawa gas station, doing the same thing! The driver of that van also said that he was bringing the gasoline back to New York to sell there. Apparently, there are several groups of people who are using vans with false license plates, who are willing to travel great distances, to sell this gasoline at a much higher price in New York.
 
The Fire Marshal is now making a big effort to get the word out that this is extremely dangerous and highly illegal and they have every intention of whacking both Wawa gas stations with very high fines.  They plan to issue maximum penalties, should any other instances occur (click here for the regulations and penalties that apply to fuel dispensation).
 
Let me try to impress upon you exactly how dangerous this could be. The gasoline vapors alone can be ignited by any static electricity in the car... and considering that these drums are made of metal, there's a good chance that that could happen. Although I have faith in all of you that you wouldn't do something so stupid as allow someone to fill 55 gallon drums inside of their vehicle, I must make this clear: be on the look out for this occurring at your gas station and warn your attendants.  Your attendants may believe that they are doing nothing more than satisfying a customer's request, but he is actually creating a situation for you that could be extremely costly.
 
Even if you made 20 cents/gallon, the 200 gallons of gas that you pumped into the drums would earn you a profit of about $40. Now, here's what you risk: the penalties of pumping gasoline into an unapproved container, on top of pumping the gasoline into containers still in the car, are likely to bring you a fine of at least $5,000 and probably $10,000. I'm pretty sure you can do the math on this one, but let's go even further.  What happens when that van is driving up the Turnpike, and hits a bump, gets into an accident, or static electricity ignites the gasoline? What do you think that fireball would look like? How many people would be killed? The people in the van? People in vehicles driving next to the van?  Pedestrians?
 
What do you think your liability will be, in all of the lawsuits, and how much aggravation will you have to endure, for many years to come, as those lawsuits are litigated? Bottom line -- if any of these vans come into your location, please call the local police immediately, and please call me as well. This is one time when we should work cooperatively with the State Fire Marshal.
 
Next, you should all look for postcards advertising TWO spring membership meetings that NJGCA is offering on May 28 and June 3.  This is something that YOU asked for, and we put together a really great program!! Dinner will be provided, and you will also get to meet our MBPs and see all of the great services and products that they offer. To register and pay online, CLICK HERE!
 
As you all know, we are facing the prospect of a 15-cent increase to the gas tax, in order to fund the Transportation Trust Fund. Now, there is another proposal you need to be aware of -- one which would apply the 7% sales tax to gasoline (and presumably keep the current 14.5 cent flat tax on gas). At prices around $3.50/gallon, a 7% sales tax is effectively a 24.5-cent per gallon increase. That's pretty drastic compared to the current 15-cent flat tax proposal that's on the table. The other problem with the State trying to raise revenue through a sales tax is that since the tax is a percentage of the price, so when gas prices go down, States don't collect as much revenue as they expected to, and as gas prices go up, consumers are left to shoulder an ever-increasing burden. We need to be aware of these proposals so we can adequately fight them when the time comes! To read a news article about the new proposal, please see the News You Should Know section.
 
Moving on to another fight that NJGCA is preparing for -- the fight to bring back safety inspections. A recent report revealed that car crashes have not increased in the period since safety inspections were eliminated.  That's not great news for our industry, and it means that we have an even bigger job ahead of us. However, the strength of our organization is in our numbers, and if this is something that my members feel strongly about, I will fight as long and as hard as I have to, as long as you all are standing right beside me. To read an article about the report, please scroll down to the News You Should Know section.
 
Now that we are discussing some of the threats to our industry and some of the important work that NJGCA wants to do, I wanted to draw your attention to an article published last week highlighting Wawa's political contributions. To read the article, click here.  I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind you how important it is that you support NJGCA's PAC.

Over the past few years we have gotten more politically involved, and we have become bigger players in Trenton. However, Wawa is out- fundraising us, and out-spending us, and unfortunately, they are usually spending that money to advocate on the OPPOSITE side of what is best for NJGCA and our members. So, with that in mind, I need you to all seriously consider making a small investment in the NJGCA PAC, to help us serve you better.  Luckily, your first opportunity to do so is coming up in June. We are hosting our first big fundraiser of the year in Forked River on June 24th.  For complete information, please click here for the invitation and response form.  YOU CAN REGISTER AND PAY FOR THE EVENT ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE! We also have a sponsorship form if you know of a business, corporation, supplier, or anyone that you work closely with who you think might be interested in supporting our cause. Please, join us as we work to influence positive changes and prevent destructive policies in Trenton!

Finally, please take our survey on gas station crime. This project is very important to NJGCA and, if it is successful, will have positive results for the whole industry. CLICK HERE.

Thanks for reading -- See you next week!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

CLASSIFIEDS! -- FOR SALE & HELP WANTED ADS 

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY!!

Well established family-owned gas and repair service station in Springfield, NJ. Serving the community for over 30 years, located on a well travelled main street.



We are looking for the following:

• A hard working, intelligent person with the desire to take their experience to the next level by working with me and eventually taking over the business for their own.

• You must be experienced in the automotive service industry, a licensed and/or certified mechanic, and have what it takes to own and operate your own business.

Please call 973-376-1416 to arrange an interview.

If you'd like to list your business for sale, publish a location you're selling, or are seeking a business partner for your establishment, please contact NJGCA at 973-376-0066!      

4/28/2014:
Figures show no rise in crashes after safety inspection changes
When the Christie administration stopped motor vehicle safety inspections in August 2010 to save about $12 million annually, cops and safety advocates criticized the move. They said scrapping safety checks, which were done at the same time as emissions tests, would result in poorly maintained vehicles that would cause more accidents. That hasn’t happened. But Martin Robins, director emeritus of a transportation think tank at Rutgers University, said removing safety inspections was shortsighted at a time when road maintenance is being “vastly underfunded.” Robins said, “It’s likely that our cars will become less safe as our roads continue to deteriorate, so it’s important for NJ to maintain a strong inspection system.” The chief spokes-woman for the NJ branch of AAA, which opposed the 2010 change, said it was “not surprising” that the rate of crashes caused by mechanical failure had remained relatively stable. “Motor vehicles in New Jersey tend to be newer than in other states, so they tend to have fewer mechanical problems.”
 
04/25/2014:
Retailers OK with FDA's E-Cig Proposal: Agency's recommendations seen as balanced and reasonable
It could have been worse. Much worse. That was the prevailing sentiment circulating among tobacco retailers in response to the proposed regulations released last week by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for e-cigs and other tobacco products (OTP). "Overall, I don't feel that the FDA overreached. In fact, I expected a lot worse, especially regarding the flavors," Steve Monaco, category manager director at Tedeschi Food Shops, told CSP Daily News. "The blocking sales to minors was a given. We already had that provision in place." Monaco was referring to the FDA's proposal at this time not to ban flavors within the electronic nicotine segment. Also, the agency opted for the time being to permit online sales of e-products to adults only--a move that displeased Monaco. "I do wish the Internet sales were addressed because we are definitely losing sales, and the state is losing tax revenue. But, I now understand this does not fall under the FDA's authority," he said.
 
04/24/2014:
Pump It Up: Group Calls for Higher NJ Gas Tax
According to a nonprofit policy group, New Jersey needs to raise its gas tax -- or risk running out of funding for future road, bridge and transit improvements. In a new report, New Jersey Policy Perspective says the state should extend its 7% percent sales tax to gasoline, which would raise the price per gallon by 24.5 cents. NJ drivers currently pay 14.5 cents per gallon, making it the second lowest gas tax in the country after Alaska.  Most of NJ's gas tax goes to a special fund that pays for big transportation projects. But the fund, which has relied on borrowing for years, is running out of money. A state senator recently introduced a bill to raise the gas tax by 15 cents over three years. And a number of advocacy groups, including the AAA, have also called for an increase. Because consumption taxes tend to be regressive, meaning low-income individuals have to pay a bigger proportion of their income, the group recommends expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit or enacting a new one to benefit those consumers. But Governor Christie has pledged not to increase taxes, including the gas tax.

TRAINING CLASSES!!
-ALL CLASSES WILL BE HELD AT NJGCA HEADQUARTERS-
66 Morris Avenue - Springfield, NJ 07081 (Union County)

In order to be licensed as a Motor Vehicle Emission Inspector, you must complete this course and pass a "Written Exam" given by the State of New Jersey. NJGCA offers this training in a ONE DAY State approved training program that will provide an understanding of inspection related issues including EPA Regulations, Safety, Diesel, Customer Service and the New Jersey State Specific Curriculum. This specially tailored NJGCA course fulfills all requirements.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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 require12 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 973-376-0066 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.