April 3, 2009

GREETINGS AND SAL-UTATIONS!

Dear NJGCA Member:

TRENTON STRIKES BACK: READY TO GET SLAPPED!?!?

There’s quite a lot going on out there right now.  We constantly hear buzz-terms like “bailout” and “market volatility” or are bombarded with bad news from Wall Street and Washington.  It can all be very distracting and ultimately gives you a headache!

But don’t let all the noise on the national scene divert your attention from things much closer to home.

What am I talking about?  The Governor is facing a $3.6 BILLION shortfall for next year’s budget and wants a $400 million tax increase on all businesses to cover a gaping hole in the state’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) fund.

Traditionally, the majority of this fund is paid for by a tax placed on businesses, while a smaller portion is paid for by a tax on workers.  And while the fund has been harmed by the current economic recession, it’s nothing compared to the how poorly it has been managed by Trenton over the last 15 years.

What do I mean?  THE STATE HAS BEEN ROBBING THE FUND SINCE THE EARLY 90s! 

In fact, they’ve drained $4.7 BILLION IN RESERVE MONIES to make up for budget shortfalls over the years and they now need a cash infusion to keep it running!

How do I know this? Personal experience; I was there when the current system was put into place.  Back in the early 80’s when I was running my shop in Paramus, the state UI fund was $750 million in the hole and Trenton was taxing us incredible rates to make up the difference!  Things were so bad and the payments were such a burden on the business community, there was a ground swell to reform the system.

It was tough but we did it.  And in the process we created a UI fund that was so sound and so successful, it built up billions in reserves to be used for just a recession as we currently find ourselves in. But Trenton’s sticky fingers over the years have now put the fund in jeopardy and we now find ourselves in the EXACT same situation we saw in the early 1980s – with businesses footing the bill!

Imagine what increasing UI taxes will do to business in New Jersey.  Will it help the economy?  Will it put more people to work?  Could it drive up the cost of doing business?  Will it directly increase prices on consumers just when they can’t afford it?

You already know the answer to all these questions and that’s why I NEED YOU TO ACT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!

You have to work the phones, send e-mails, and contact your legislators!  Click HERE to find out who represents you in Trenton!  Just click on your town to get their contact information.

And then when you’re done, call the Governor at 609-292-6000 and tell him exactly what this tax will do to your establishment.

You simply CANNOT afford to be complacent right now.  Act now before it’s too late!

The volunteers for our GDC Price Matrix are growing.  A very sincere THANK YOU to everyone who has submitted their prices daily – we can’t make this work without you!

Still we need more volunteers get the entire grid filled.  Right now we have all our Exxon slots filled by dealers.  However, we still need volunteers for the BP, Citgo, Coastal, Getty, Gulf, Lukoil, Shell, Sunoco, Valero brands and still have a number of Unbranded spots open.

Please contact me if you are interested.  Remember, all submissions are ANONYMOUS and ONLY NJGCA MEMBERS will be able to access these prices.

Though the Legislature is currently in their Budget Break, doesn’t mean we’ve stopped pushing our agenda in Trenton.  Even as we continue to push to get First Right of Refusal up in the Assembly, we are also stepping up our efforts to have Right to Repair heard in the Senate.  In fact, this week NJGCA and the Right to Repair Coalition have spoken with Senators in hopes of having the bill heard when the Legislature reconvenes in May.

We will update you when we hear more, but be ready to contact your Senators when the time comes!

Sadly, this week I close on a somber note.  Assemblyman Eric Munoz of the 21st District died on Monday.

You can read NJGCA's press release on the Assemblyman’s passing HERE

A trauma surgery by profession, the Assemblyman tragically died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm.  Doc Munoz, as he was affectionately known, was strong supporter of the small business community and a good man.  He will be deeply missed.

See you next week!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

IN THIS WEEK’S NJGCA ROAD WARRIOR:

THE NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS

•Are you interested in acquiring a new location?

BUSINESS TOOLS

•Take advantage of these classes from our partners at Affinity Federal Credit Union

SNAPSHOTS

•MORE pictures from NORTHEAST 2009 Tradeshow!

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

•State to hold hearings on offshore drilling
•Nuclear Power: New Jersey-based plant license extended to 2029
•Budget constraints force state to cut wasteful spending
•Growing Trend: People keep older vehicles longer


THE NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS

Emily Bielen, owner of John’s American Service Center, recently contacted NJGCA for help in selling her small business.

For full location details and to view this classified ad, please click HERE

Interested parties are to contact Emily Bielen at 732-388-9291

If you are interested in placing a classified ad, please contact Debbie Hill.


BUSINESS TOOLS

NJGCA strives to bring you the latest news from our Member Benefit Partners to assist your small business.

Our partners at Affinity Federal Credit Union are hosting a number of seminar and community events that are ideal for small business owners.  Upcoming events include:

How to Get Word of Mouth...World's Best-Known Marketing Secret
Small Business Development Center at RVCC1
Somerville, NJ
April 6, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
RSVP: Allison O'Neil
908-526-1200, ext. 8516

QuickBooks for Small Businesses
Small Business Development Center at RVCC1
Somerville, NJ
April 13 & 16, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
RSVP: Allison O'Neil
908-526-1200, ext. 8516

Take advantage of these opportunities!

A full list of courses offered at the Small Business Development Center can be found at www.sbdcrvcc.com/courses.html

If you have any questions or comments, please call Phil Apruzzi at 973-376-0066

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

4/2/2009:
State to hold hearings on offshore drilling
Federal officials will public hearings on plans for offshore drilling at the Atlantic City Convention Center on Monday.  It will be the only meeting of its kind on the East Coast.  Topics will include wind and tidal generation and oil and natural gas exploration.

4/2/2009:
Nuclear Power: New Jersey-based plant license extended to 2029
Earlier this week, officials from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted to lengthen the license of Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, the nation’s oldest nuclear power plant. The Commission’s rulings will be made official by April 9th, after a four year process.

4/1/2009:
Budget constraints force state to cut wasteful spending
New Jersey’s budget crunch has finally forced government officials to finally re-examine careless budget items that have long plagued the state.  Among these items were parking for employees who have left state government; health benefits for those ineligible to receive them; and unnecessary building leases. Critics contend that it should not have taken a major recession for the state to eliminate these programs.

3/25/2009:
Growing Trend: People keep older vehicles longer
With economic factors hitting everyone, Americans are forgoing new car purchases and opting to keep their vehicles longer. The average now keeps their automobile for 10 years, according to a recent study.  This trend presents an ideal opportunity for automotive repair businesses to service.