September 13, 2013

Dear NJGCA Member:

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

BEWARE: GENERATOR MANDATES IN MUNICIPALITIES
MARKETPLACE ANALYSIS
PAID SICK LEAVE
PAC FUNDRAISER REMINDER

I have said it before, and I will say it again. The issue of generator mandates is not dead, and unfortunately it reared its ugly head yet again on Tuesday. I have warned you about municipalities acting on their own to mandate generators, since we have successfully stalled any such legislation at the state level. In January, the Bernards Township Committee considered a generator mandate, and I found out about it the day of the meeting. I wrote a letter to the Committee, which was apparently read at the meeting, and the proposal was rejected. A reporter from the Star-Ledger was covering the meeting, and I only found out about the proposal's rejection by reading this Star-Ledger Article the next day.

Then, in April, Marlboro Township in Monmouth County passed a generator mandate just like the ones that we have been working so hard to prevent. We had no knowledge of this proposal until after it was passed by the Town Council and already a "done deal." Now, gas stations in Marlboro are faced with huge costs to install generators at their locations. This is why it is imperative that you remain vigilant on this issue, and let us know whenever they hear of anything. If we know about it, we are capable of doing something. And that is exactly what we did on Tuesday, when we got a call at 1:00 alerting us that the Teaneck Town Council was voting on an ordinance, that night, to require all of the town's gas stations to install generators within 90 days.

Everything at NJGCA stopped to douse the fire that was now burning in Teaneck. The entire team went into action -- gathering information, making phone calls, and reaching out to other organizations whose members would be affected (organizations that we have worked successfully with in the past, like Fuel Merchants and Food Council.) We also reached out to our friends in the healthcare industry, since the ordinance addressed senior living facilities and home for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, we bombarded the Mayor with phone calls. He was kind enough to take our calls and to listen to us. I had several email exchanges with one of the council members, and I buried them with all of the information and evidence that we have been presenting to the state legislators and the Governor's Office for the past year -- about why generators at gas stations are a bad idea and burdensome to small business owners.

About an hour before the council meeting began Tuesday night, I received a commitment from the Mayor that he would pull the ordinance, and table it for another meeting -- giving us the opportunity to come in and meet with him. As of this writing, we are in the process of setting up that appointment and the mayor kept his word – the ordinance has been tabled until September 24.

Once again, here is the message that I need to make abundantly clear. I have no way to know what all 565 municipalities in the state of NJ are doing in their Council Chambers. The only way that I can learn that a local government is considering stupid legislation is for you to tell me. Additionally, your local Chamber of Commerce should be monitoring all of these types of issues that affect small businesses, and this is a perfect example of why you should belong to your local Chamber. If you hear of a generator mandate being discussed, in addition to contacting our office, you should also immediately contact the Chamber of Commerce in your town. They should be aware of these issues, and if they aren't, they aren't doing their jobs. If you aren't a member of your local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary club, then you have no right to make a stink about something after the fact.

Fortunately, me and the entire NJGCA staff were here in the office Tuesday when the call came in, and we were able to mobilize. Had we been out at other appointments, we never would have been able to mobilize and stall this proposal -- and today, about 10 gas stations in Teaneck would be faced with spending $20,000+ to install a generator within 90 days.

I'd like to also point out that this is a PERFECT example of the Freeloader Syndrome that I wrote about in the April issue of On The Road. Only one of those gas stations in Teaneck is a member of NJGCA. HE deserved the benefits of our actions and abilities. The others merely benefited by freeloading on all of you. If we did not have a member in Teaneck, the staff here would have merely continued about their business on Tuesday afternoon and Teaneck gas station owners would be faced with the harsh reality of installing a generator.

You will be hearing more from me in the upcoming months about the Freeloader Syndrome and my declaration of the NJGCA Membership Fairness Doctrine -- where only NJGCA members will receive assistance from our office. Members that choose to drop out will no longer have privileges to receive our assistance. Members with multiple locations will only be eligible to receive NJGCA assistance for the locations that are registered dues-paying members. This is what is fair to those members who pay annual dues to have their locations belong to NJGCA.

Now, for my second order of business, I'd like to go back to some of the market-place concerns that I addressed last week. Last week, I advised members to be prepared for a roller coaster ride -- however, the missiles that I thought would be flying across the Middle East have remained idle. This has caused rack prices to fall a bit this week, and even the price of crude oil has dropped a few dollars. Of course, this could all change if those missiles do start flying.

However, should missiles start flying, there still is some good news, which may counter-act the higher prices that we would expect.

• Gasoline volume is down. As a nation we are using less gasoline. A report came out this week showing that the average fuel economy in 2013 is 1.2 miles/gallon more than it was in 2012. That adds up to a lot of gasoline not being used. The good news is, this creates a downward pressure on prices. The bad news is, that it makes the pie smaller that you are all competing for.

• Another piece of good news is that the National Weather Service has reported that there has been below average storm activity in the hemisphere. If storm activity stays low, there will be no reason for refineries to panic and raise prices.

Demand is down and it doesn't look like it is going up. In order for demand to start going up, people are going to have to start hitting the roads for some reason. But, continue to keep a close eye on the events in the Middle East. Given the volatility of the situation, we could see things changing at any moment.

Now on to the issue of paid sick leave. I have mentioned that this legislation is making its way through Trenton, but the newly elected Mayor of Jersey City has a mind of his own, and he wants to impose the same dumb legislation on his city. This could have a deep impact on businesses not only in Jersey City, but throughout the State. This could potentially snowball out of control and create a ripple effect which may be unstoppable.

So, on Tuesday morning, before all hell broke lose in the afternoon on the matter in Teaneck, NJGCA Legislative Assistant Eric Blomgren represented NJGCA as part of a coalition of other business groups, and attended a meeting with Mayor Fulop. (I was in a previously-scheduled closed-door meeting here at HQ). Joining Eric was NJGCA member Meer Fazaldin, who has owned an Exxon station in Jersey City for over 20 years. Together, they ensured that the Mayor understood the plight of the small business owner and the impact that this proposal would have on Meer's station and many others just like it. Though the Mayor’s mind was relatively unchanged, he seemed agreeable to take a better look at his proposal in order to lessen the burden on small business owners. My instincts tell me that he will move forward as planned. We were able to take a few pictures of the meeting:

NJGCA Member Meer Fazaldin has the opportunity to discuss his concerns with Mayor Fulop 1-on-1

After the meeting, Mayor Fulop poses for a picture with NJGCA Member Meer Fazaldin

Finally, everyone please check your inboxes for our second reminder about the NJGCA PAC Fundraiser on October 2, 2013. We are thrilled to have NJGCA members already signed up for this event. Come join the NJGCA staff and your fellow members to have a good time shooting and trying something new!

Thanks for reading -- See you next week!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

NJGCA member has an immediate need to move his prospering business. He just found out the building he is in has been sold, and he needs a new location. Do you have a repair shop (with or without gas) that you are looking to lease?

If you own a business in one of these towns or the surrounding area: Wayne, Morristown, Boonton, Fairfield, Montville, Pinebrook, Hanover, Livingston, Florham Park, Rockaway or Butler -- and you are looking to lease your location -- we have a member that is interested!!

Successful Exxon station in Lincroft looking to get out of the repair business. Building consists of 3 bays, front office, storage, bathrooms, etc.

If you are interested in moving, starting your repair business at this location, or converting this space into a convenience store, we have a member that is interested!!

Please contact Debbie Hill at debbie@njgca.org or 973-376-0066 with any inquiries, questions, or for more information about either of these sites.

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!

09/12/2013:
Assemblyman pleads guilty to theft, falsifying records
The Attorney General's Office announced this morning that Al Coutinho, a state assemblyman in Essex County (until yesterday), has pleaded guilty to stealing funds from his family's charitable foundation and filing false financial disclosure forms with the Legislature. In pleading guilty, Coutinho admitted to misappropriating donations and contributions to his family's charitable foundation, the Bernardino Coutinho Foundation, between 2008 and 2012. The news comes a day after Coutinho abruptly resigned from the Legislature. To learn more about this developing story, please read the above article.

09/12/2013:
Op-Ed: Powering Our Communities Requires All Energy Resources
In this Opinion piece, Assemblyman Scott Rudder argues that a sound energy policy must make economic sense, which means embracing both traditional technologies and emerging renewable strategies. Assemblyman Rudder writes, "the bottom line is this: We need energy security and stability that is both affordable and clean. A balanced portfolio of energy solutions will achieve these objectives while protecting the environment and without further hurting our economy." For the rest of the Assemblyman's arguments, please read the above article.

09/11/2013:
800 gallons of fuel spill at Metuchen gas station; truck driver to be charged
Officials are investigating an 800-gallon fuel spill on Central Avenue in Metuchen that led to the evacuation of about 20 homes on Tuesday night. The spill occurred at the Citco station at 209 Central at 9:48 PM, when a gasoline tanker truck owned by Accurate Bulk Carriers of Sayreville was dispensing fuel at the gas station and a safety valve malfunctioned. The malfunction resulted in the 800 gallons of gas spilling out at the station, the street and into sewers. Some fuel made its way into a creek that feeds Dismal Swamp. The gasoline truck has been impounded and still had about 4,000 gallons of gas on it after the spill. Charges might be filed against the truck driver, who is also the owner of the company. The investigation has revealed that the safety valve, designed to keep the fuel from spilling, was being held open by a piece of wood or other object because it was not working properly. To learn more about the incident, please read the above article.

09/09/2013:
Utility Petitions BPU to Build Compressed Natural Gas Refueling Stations
Elizabethtown Gas is asking the state to allow it to build compressed natural gas (CNG) stations to enable its diesel-burning vehicles to run on the cleaner and less costly fossil fuel. The proposal is aligned with a key recommendation in a relatively new NJ Energy Master Plan, which proposes developing CNG stations as a way of converting companies with large fleets of diesel-burning vehicles to run on natural gas. Elizabethtown is not the only utility seeking to convert fleets to run on compressed natural gas. Last year, the BPU approved a $10 million plan by New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) to build natural gas refueling stations in its territory, largely located in central Jersey and portions of the coastal counties. To learn more about the potential benefits and cost-savings of Compressed Natural Gas, please read the above article.

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.

CLASS DETAILS:

•Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2013
•Location: NJGCA Headquarters, located at 66 Morris Avenue - Springfield, NJ 07081
•Arrival Time: 7:00am
•Lunch Break: 12:00pm (Pizza and soda will be served)
•NJMVC Test: 1:00pm

CLASS FEES:

•NJGCA Members: $250.00
•Non-members: $300.00

•Manuals are included and payment is due upon registration. All credit cards are accepted.

License Fee: Bring a $50.00 check made payable to NJMVC to satisfy the State’s licensing fee.

PLEASE NOTE: If you live out of state, you must bring 6 points of ID with you, such as a license, passport, healthcare card, utility bill, etc.

To review the registration form CLICK HERE

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.

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
66 Morris Avenue
Springfield, NJ 07081
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.

THE MEMBER TOOL BOX

MEMBER SAVINGS PAGE
Check out all of our MBPs and Programs designed to SAVE YOU MONEY!