January 28, 2011

Dear NJGCA Member:

Here's what you'll find in this edition of the NJGCA Road Warrior, and thank you for reading:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE: GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS!
•Communications, Inspection Program, Acquatek bankruptcy and MORE!

NEWS AROUND THE STATE
•Governor tells crowd to pressure Legislature to enact reforms
•Feds approve E15 for older vehicles
•Governor seeks to empower parents on school choice, eliminate teacher tenure
•State unemployment rate, number of instate jobs decrease

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM BELLOMO FUELS
•Serving New Jersey since 1910 -- 100 years of supplying gasoline retailers like YOU!

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE
•See our latest training class schedule below!!

POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
•Participate in the NJGCA PAC today and help us keep our Agenda rolling in Trenton!

THE MEMBER TOOL BOX
•On the NJGCA Homepage
•Know your Territory Manager!

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

COMMUNICATIONS, INSPECTION SYSTEM, ACQUATEK BANKRUPTCY & MORE!

Before I get into this week’s message, I wanted to begin with a housekeeping item.  I’ve recently received a few requests from some members asking us to take them off our fax list and to receive only emails.  Truthfully, we prefer to send ONLY emails since faxes cost us much more.  However, we understand that some members still don’t use email regularly and prefer to depend on older, outdated faxes. 

If you currently receive faxes from us, and only wish to receive emails (which I prefer), please contact me and let me know.

However, while we are on the subject of communications, let me warn you that I'm currently looking into sending text message alerts.  Don’t worry - I’m NOT looking to bombard you with text messages.  If we decide to send you a text, it will not be to replace emails or everyday communications.  Rather, sending you a text would be only in an emergency situation and likely be accompanied by a Wildfire Alert.

Earlier this week, I was expected to meet up with Ray Martinez, MVC Chief Administrator at a monthly meeting of legislative leaders and political junkies that I normally attend.  However, due to a serious illness, I've been out all week and hope to be back next week.  In fact, to anyone who has tried to contact me this week and haven’t heard back from me, I apologize.  Believe me, I never take a sick day, and if what is currently troubling me wasn’t serious, I’d have responded by now.

However, while we are discussing the MVC (and by extension, the motor vehicle inspection program) let me address something right now that I’ve been meaning to discuss.  Since Safety Inspections had ended, I’ve had any number of members ask me why we don't file a lawsuit against the State of New Jersey for changing the inspections program.  Trust me when I say that I thought of this immediately and was gung-ho about starting legal proceedings.  However, I was STRONGLY advised by legal counsel to drop the idea.  In fact, I was blatantly told to not waste my time or your money.  While winning a lawsuit against the state is normally a tough endeavor, there was absolutely NO legal argument that we would have against the State. 

I’m not going to debate the ins-and-outs now, but believe me when I say I would have loved to sue the State over their decision.  Not only would I have loved to do it (it would have been fun) but it would have delivered a strong message to Trenton.  But once I calmed down, I couldn’t justify wasting a few hundred thousand dollars merely to make a point.

Nevertheless, from a strategic stand point, suing over changing the inspection system may have set us back in a larger context.  Remember, our plan is to ultimately move to an all-PIF inspection program.  That has been my plan and I continue to focus on it.  A lawsuit may have ruffled more than a few feathers and been a distraction from this goal; especially since Chief Martinez agrees with our assessment that New Jersey should get out of the vehicle inspection business altogether.  Since we are only a few weeks away from the Governor’s Budget Address, we’re going to stay the course and we’ll update you on any progress.

We wanted to let you know about a recent event that may affect your station compliance.  A few years ago, before I joined the Association as Executive Director, the former NJGRA used to recommend Acquatek to those of you with environmental remediation issues.  After I was here for a year, I wasn't really certain that they were the outfit we should continue to recommend to our members.  As such, we ended our relationship with Acquatek and have since developed a great partnership with Environmental Alliance (EA).

Since the very beginning, forging a bond with EA has proven to be one of the best decisions we’ve made to better server our members.  EA has proven to be a very professional organization, advising our members on site remediation, underground storage tanks, and other important issues.  Not only are they incredibly cooperative and always work to serve the interests of our members, but key personnel like Mike Vanderslice have become trusted advisors in developing a comprehensive NJGCA environmental policy as a member of our Environmental Committee. 

As for Acquatek, while our relationship with that outfit ended years ago, some of our members continued to work with them despite our transition to EA.  If you are one of those members, you should know that Acquatek has recently filed for bankruptcy and we strongly recommend you contact EA to address any pending (or coming) environmental related issues.  If anything more happens, we will be sure to keep you updated.  If anyone is currently using Acquatek and had problems please contact me privately.

There is a significant update to the continuing Shell saga to divest their retail locations throughout northern New Jersey.  It seems that, in a move aimed at circumventing franchisee rights, Shell has turned over their supply contract for its northern New Jersey locations to Lehigh Gas Corp.  Many of you know I'm not fond of Lehigh and feel that they don't treat their dealers fairly.  I met with Shell dealers last week and we are waiting to hear final details of the new arrangement.  We expect that Shell is trying to sell their properties to get around the First Right of Refusal law we passed last year.  If in fact Lehigh and Shell are planning on doing just that, the Shell lessees are already ready to take action and have sought legal counsel.  While we are focusing on Shell lessees here, this situation also affects Exxon dealers; and I keep reiterating Sunoco and Gulf dealers are the next brands that will face situations like this.  I continue to be disappointed by the lack of involvement by Sunoco and Gulf dealers in this issue since they are coming for you next.  Rest assured that I will be back to ask you for help depending on how things develop. 

Many of you have noticed how unbelievably wacky the market has been this week: We just experienced a two day price drop with an immediate spike increase.  That is because the price of crude dropped from $92 a barrel to $87 a barrel over the last week.  I continue to maintain that there is no added demand for product, and at some point, the traders pricing oil are going to have to recognize that the price is too high.  Unless I'm a complete idiot, I expect the price to drop as soon as they catch on that people are not buying gasoline as they anticipated.

Hope you are all surviving the rough winter. 

Thanks for listening - See you next week!

Regards,

Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

1/26/2011:
Governor tells crowd to pressure Legislature to enact reforms
At a recent town hall event in Middletown, Governor Christie told attendants that the Legislature is holding up key pieces of legislation that are needed to reform state government. The Governor also commented on the need to cut pension and benefit costs or risk having the current system collapse. 

1/21/2011:
Feds approve E15 for older vehicles
The Environmental Protection Agency has approved the use of E15, a higher blend of ethanol for use in tens of millions of older vehicles.  The new approval will allow for E15 to be used in vehicles produced from 2001 to 2006.  However, the EPA has also rejected the use of E15 on vehicles produced before 2000.  Read more at the link above.

1/19/2011:
Governor seeks to empower parents on school choice, eliminate teacher tenure
In an effort to increase accountability and help parents to decide where their children are educated, Governor Christie spoke about ending the current teacher tenure system and enacting pro-school choice programs before a viewing of “Waiting for Superman”, a movie which challenges the current school paradigm. Click above to read the full article.

1/19/2011:
State unemployment rate, number of instate jobs decrease
New Jersey’s unemployment rate dipped slightly last month to 9.1% in December, down .1% from November.  However, the number of jobs in the state also decreased.  Click above to read more.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES IN OUR “NEWS AROUND THE STATE” ARCHIVE