November 22, 2013

Dear NJGCA Member:

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

PPC LUBRICANTS/CASTROL OIL DINNER MEETINGS
RIGHT TO REPAIR PASSES ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE
THIRD BRAKE LIGHT LEGISLATION ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK
GENERATOR GRANT PROGRAM UPDATE
VAPOR RECOVERY NON-COMPLIANCE UPDATE

The first thing that I need to do this week is remind everyone about the PPC Lubricants/Castrol Oil dinner meetings on December 3 & 4. These meetings are extremely important if you want to save money on your motor oil purchases and learn new ways to encourage customers to continue coming to your shop. This information is so important that NJGCA has arranged two meeting dates so that even more members can attend. December 3rd in North Jersey (Pompton Plains) and December 4th in South Jersey (Toms River). You will receive tons of valuable information, in addition to dinner all for only $15. This includes a complimentary beer or wine beverage on us! This program has the potential to save you thousands. Please click here to register online now!

Hopefully you are all aware that Right to Repair was heard in the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee on Monday. Assemblyman Moriarty, chairman of the Committee, has been very supportive of NJGCA and the independent repair shops on this issue, and during the hearing he made sure that the car manufacturers knew that they would not be let off the hook. I was joined by NJGCA Members Meer Fazaldin and Keith Krehel, who did an excellent job providing testimony to the Committee to demonstrate the importance of a Right to Repair law in New Jersey.

To listen to an audio recording of the testimony that I provided to the Committee with Meer and Keith, please click here.

The bill passed the Committee and is now ready to be voted on by the entire General Assembly. We have been advocating on this issue for over 10 years. Though we have had prior success in the General Assembly, the bill has never been heard in the Senate. Our victory on Monday was a step in the right direction, but there are still many more steps that need to be taken before Right to Repair is the law of the land. The only reason that Massachusetts has been successful is because the independent auto repair shops took advantage of a law that allows signatures to be gathered and an issue to be placed on the ballot. Our members must be involved in this fight in order for us to be successful. I cannot win this fight without you. I NEED YOU TO DOCUMENT THE TROUBLE YOU HAVE GETTING THE TECHNICAL INFORMATION NECESSARY TO COMPLETE REPAIRS -- this could be service bulletins, wiring diagrams, necessary codes and software to program the vehicle onboard computer system -- any time that you have to go back to the dealer or the manufacturer for information, and it's not made available to you. We need to know how often you have to turn your customers away and send them back to the dealership.

PLEASE SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF MY MESSAGE TO SEE PICTURES FROM THE HEARING.

Additionally, last week we mentioned our efforts on the Third Brake Light bill. It was passed by the Senate on Monday and will now move to Governor Christie's desk for his final approval. The legislation will require all brake lights to be functioning on a vehicle. In addition to keeping the roads safer, it will increase business for our members. Please click this link to send an email to the Governor to encourage him to take action on the bill.

Switching gears now, I would like to provide you all with an update about the Governor's Grant Program for Generators. If you are on the list for this program, you should expect to receive an "invitation" from the state in the coming weeks, directing you how to apply for the funds. If you believe that your station meets the program requirements, but you are not on the list above, please contact NJGCA so that we can try to help you. If there is a location on this list which is on the same road as you, please let us know. We are working to create a database of additional locations for the State to consider for this program, and we will work any angle to get you on that list.

Additionally, there is new information about this program available on the state's website. They posted a 300 page agenda for the Economic Development Authority meeting on November 15th, which outlined all of the details of the Governor's Generator Grant Program. We have extracted the important information that resulted from the meeting, and we have posted it on our website. Please click here to access the document.

We will be sending a letter to all locations that are on the list to assist them if they are interested in taking advantage of this grant program. As you know, we have been meeting with generator contractors all year. My letter will contain the names of contractors that NJGCA feels confident in recommending to our membership.

Finally, we have an update from NJ DEP about a change in their violation designations for non-compliance with vapor recovery testing. We've always encouraged members to be vigilant that all vapor recovery testing is done on time. If you don't perform the testing to ensure that your vapor recovery system is functioning properly, the violation is now designated "non-minor." Previously, when this was only a "minor" violation, there was a 30 day grace period to comply (without penalty). Now that these violations are non-minor, there is no grace period and you are subject to penalty immediately. This violation carries fines of $500 for the first offense, $1,000 for the second, $2,500 for the third and $7,500 for fourth and thereafter. Please click here to review the enforcement alert that we received from DEP.

Here are some of the pictures taken at Monday's Right to Repair hearing:

NJGCA Executive Director Sal Risalvato is joined by NJGCA Members Meer Fazaldin and Keith Krehel. Both members gave very convincing testimony about the importance of a Right to Repair law in New Jersey.

Representatives from Subaru were in the house on Monday to oppose NJGCA's efforts on the Right to Repair legislation.

Thanks for reading -- See you next week!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

Do you have a business for sale? Are you looking for a new location or opportunity?

NJGCA also assists members in selling equipment through the placement of advetisments in Road Warrior!

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!

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

11/20/2013:
NJGCA in the News: "Right to Repair" Issue Advances
This article discusses the Right to Repair issue and the progress that has been made by states like New Jersey and Massachusetts. Massachusetts is currently in the process of reconciling the law that was passed with a ballot initiative that the voters approved. Although New Jersey has only just passed this legislation in an Assembly Committee, this is still a great victory, and shows that we have the support that we need, in the Assembly. This legislation has never made any progress in the Senate and that is where it will require some advocacy from our members. Please click the link to read the article.

11/20/2013:
NJ Health Care Quality Institute launches site to educate business owners on Obamacare
An online resource page to help New Jersey consumers and business owners understand what the Affordable Care Act means for them has been launched by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute at its website, www.njhcqi.org. The site offers frequently-asked-questions and answers, and a page of links to NJHCQI reviewed and approved resources, such as the Kaiser Family Foundation's Subsidy Calculator and www.thehealthsherpa.com, a private, non-government site created to allow consumers to review their health insurance options, including prices, prior to visiting healthcare.gov. While you are weighing your health insurance options, please don't forget to consider Association Master Trust. For more information about NJGCA's health insurance plans, please call 973-376-0066.

11/19/2013:
Bloomberg Signs NYC Ban Of Tobacco Sales To Anyone Under 21
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has signed a bill banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone under age 21. The legislation makes New York the first large city or state in the country to prohibit sales to young adults. However, there is some concern that this trend will catch on in New Jersey. NJGCA has opposed the introduction of such legislation, and we will continue to fight against the State's imposition of their will on the lives of legal adults living in our State. Please read the article for more information.

11/14/2013:
NJGCA in the News: Tri-State Emergency Preparedness Continues
This article discusses Governor Christie's Generator Grant Program and how it could help small businesses in NJ. Interviewed in the article are NJGCA Executive Director Sal Risalvato, and NJGCA Members Martin Gallagher and Tony Crisalli. To read Sal's remarks, and the comments made by your fellow NJGCA Members about this Generator Grant Program, please click on the above link.

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

FUTURE CLASSES WILL BE ADDED UPON REQUEST AND ACCORDING TO DEMAND. CONTACT DEBBIE at 973-376-0066 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!!

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
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