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February 5, 2010
GREETINGS AND SAL-UTATIONS!
Dear NJGCA Member:
NEW MVC DIRECTOR & INSPECTIONS
Though I have no clue on how the inspections system will evolve in the years ahead, I have shared my vision with you on how I feel New Jersey should advance moving forward. I’ve stated before, that I strongly believe that the Garden State needs to move to an all PIF system and eliminate CIFs. This will not only save taxpayers a ton of money – it will be more convenient for motorists, and also present an additional opportunity for you to serve the motoring public.
However, this won’t come easily. As you have seen from past fights, getting Trenton to do just about anything will involve a lot of heavy lifting – and I anticipate a battle.
Nevertheless, our pending fight to convince lawmakers to switch to an all PIF system aside, I’m also anticipating that Trenton will attempt to eliminate safety inspections as a way to save money.
Don’t panic yet! No one has told me that this is being considered, and no one has said that they are pushing this idea. However, I am not a dummy, and I know that the new administration is looking under every rock for money. I also know for a fact that the new governor is considering a “State of Emergency” in order to have the legal authority to re-visit any contracts that the state has obligations.
An only slightly intelligent person in the Treasury Department can simply take out a calculator and determine that the State of New Jersey can save a ton of money if they eliminate Motor Vehicle Safety Inspections and pay Parsons less. It is my instinct and gut feeling from years of watching how Trenton works, that tells me this could happen. I am simply trying to be prepared if it should happen.
Empirical data from the National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA) which supports continuing Safety Inspections is sketchy and some experts may say is inconclusive. To convince Legislators, I’m going to have to make a case of why Safety Inspections are essential to protecting the public.
That’s where you come in. I have asked in the past for you to take pictures and to document unsafe vehicles that are in your shop for a Motor Vehicle Inspection, and then send me the images and details. I need these examples to illustrate unsafe vehicles that should either be repaired or removed from the road, and that were found only because they were due for inspection. We must demonstrate that if not for the required Safety Inspection, the vehicle being recorded would remain on the road and pose a danger to public safety.
I want to ask legislators: Do you want this car on the road driving alongside your spouse and children?
Take a look at the pictures below. This was a late model vehicle that literally FELL APART in one of the CIF lanes and had to be towed to a PIF location. Since I had previously asked you to keep a camera handy to photograph and document such examples, a conscientious NJGCA member took a few snapshots and forwarded them to me. Included – but not reproduced here – was a picture of the inspection sticker showing the car was due for inspection in January 2010. Had this car been on the highway instead of in a CIF inspection lane, it could have caused a serious accident.
I need more of these pictures and I need you to help me get them! No one working in an official capacity in New Jersey will want to put the public in jeopardy once we show them how poor of an idea eliminating Motor Vehicle Safety Inspections will be.
Remember, this is a relatively newer car, and it fell apart IN THE CIF LANES! This vehicle was on the road only minutes prior to the inspection! Do you want to be driving next to this car on the road when it falls apart and causes an accident? Does your family?
I got a call from the Governor’s Office on Monday to give me advance notification of who Governor Christie has selected as our new MVC Director. Tuesday, I received a very pleasant surprise when the newly designated Director, Ray Martinez, gave me a call. He introduced himself and said he plans on working closely with NJGCA in the near future. Presently he is not permitted to conduct official business until he is approved by the Senate and sworn in to office. I plan on taking Director Martinez around to some of your shops and setting up a meeting with him so we can discuss our concerns and our ideas.
Director Designate Martinez was the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles in New York for Governor Pataki from 2000 thru 2005. Guess how New York performs Motor Vehicle Inspections? New York has an ALL PRIVATE system. I hope that the experience that our new MVC Director has with performing Motor Vehicle Inspections in New York, will help us transition New Jersey to the same.
In the mean time, PLEASE KEEP YOUR CAMERA HANDY. I want pictures of dangerous suspension, brake, front end, tire, and lighting problems. If it poses any kind of danger to public safety, I need you to photograph it and record the details, then send it to me! Only with your help can we prevent safety inspections from being eliminated.
Lastly this week, I wanted to let you know about a change to our training class schedule. We are currently looking to set up a 2 full-day ETEP class in Southern New Jersey in March. If you are interested, please contact Debbie Hill and see full details below.
Thanks for reading. See you next week!
Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director
IN THIS WEEK’S NJGCA ROAD WARRIOR
UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!
•See our new class schedule below!!
POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
•Participate in the NJGCA PAC today and help us keep our Agenda rolling in Trenton!
MBP BUSINESS SEMINARS BY AFFINITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
•Sign up for classes aimed at improving your small business today!
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY WITH PH2 SOLUTIONS, INC
•Are you interested in a position with PH2 Solutions? See below for details!!
NEWS AROUND THE STATE
•Business Leaders say Garden state is no longer affordable
•NJ loses $70 billion as residents leave for other states
•Christie names new MVC Director
•NJGCA in the News: Risalvato on gasoline prices
ON THE NJGCA HOMEPAGE
MEMBER SAVINGS PAGE
Check out all of our MBPs and Programs designed to SAVE YOU MONEY!
HELPFUL LINKS
Looking for something? Take a look at our list of useful links!
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
Find all our communications and search for old e-newsletters. Take a look!
NEWS AROUND THE STATE ARCHIVE
Need to catch up on events? Want to see what's going on? Find out here!
KNOW YOUR TERRITORY MANAGER!
Henry Darden: Territory Manager for Middlesex, Union, Part of Essex (Southern Half)
Cell: 908-247-2992
Email: henry@njgca.org
Jack Leli: Territory Manager for Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem
Cell: 732-995-1637
Email: jack@njgca.org
Bob Quirk: Territory Manager for Bergen, Hudson, Part of Essex (Northern Half)
Cell: 201-214-8836
E-mail: bob@njgca.org
Frank Stewart: Territory Manager for Morris, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Passaic
Cell: 973-234-7403
Email: frank@njgca.org
Don Stohrer: Territory Manager for Monmouth, Mercer, Somerset
Cell: 732-539-2955
Email: don@njgca.org
UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!
Due to overwhelming demand, NJGCA has added additional classes in January, February and March!
ETEP TRAINING
Emission Repair Technician Re-Certification Class
NJGCA is offering the ETEP course that your ERT’s need in order to re-certify their license.
Our Course includes:
•New Jersey State Specific Information Course
•ETEP Section 6 “OBDII Monitoring Failures”
•Section 7 “Light-Duty Diesel Vehicle Technologies and Testing”.
•Five (5) nights class instruction
Everything your technician needs to Re-Certify his ERT license!!!
Class Cost (Including Manuals):
•NJGCA Member rates: $489.00
•NON-Member rates: $629.00
February Class - Union
February 9th, 11th, 16th, 18th & 23rd
Tuesdays and Thursdays
7:00pm to 10:00pm
March Class - Rumson --- UPDATED!!
March 8th, 11th, 15th, 18th, & 22rd
Monday and Thursdays
7:00pm to 10:00pm
PLEASE NOTE: We are currently in the process of putting classes together for April, May and June. If you are interested in taking classes in this time period, please call NJGCA and let us know so we can add you to the list.
We are also looking to set up a 2 full-day ETEP class in Southern New Jersey in March. If you are interested, please let us know!
Call Debbie Hill to enroll in the classes at debbie@njgca.org or call 973-376-0066.
POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
Ensuring our friends in the legislature are re-elected and advocating for our agenda in Trenton are of utmost importance to the agenda of NJGCA.
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 the shoulders of a few. This is not fair to them, and it is not fair to many of you who are relying on the benefits of good legislation being passed in Trenton.
To truly understand the importance of fundraising for our allies, let’s look back upon the overwhelming successes of the last year:
NJGCA successfully lobbied against BELOW COST SELLING. If approved, BELOW COST SELLING would have cost each of you thousands of dollars and put many of you out of businesses. NJGCA leaned on some of our friends in the Assembly and literally had the bill pulled off the floor on the day it was scheduled to be voted on. Our friends in the Legislature helped us get this accomplished.
NJGCA made history and led the charge to pass the most comprehensive protection of franchisees in decades with FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL legislation. FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL passed only because NJGCA and dealers throughout the state were able to lean on several friends in the Assembly and the Senate.
NJGCA has been rallying support for RIGHT TO REPAIR over the last two years among key legislators. This would end the practice of car manufacturers denying you the codes necessary to complete the repairs you make on your customers cars. Every state has tried to pass RIGHT TO REPAIR and no state has even been able to get the legislation out of committee. Because of our friends in the Legislature, NJGCA has been successful in getting this bill passed by the Assembly and now awaits a vote in the Senate.
I am asking some of you as individuals to make a contribution and attend a fundraising event sponsored by one of our friends in the Assembly.
However, we will not be able to host events for all of our friends, so the NJGCA PAC will have to make contributions. You will be receiving letters soon from the NJGCA PAC asking you to make contributions.
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.
MBP BUSINESS SEMINARS BY AFFINITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Affinity Federal Credit Union, an NJGCA Member Benefit Partner, is offering a number of classes designed specifically to help small business owners.
Some of these classes include:
•Managing Money Wisely
•Career Navigation in a Pink Slip Economy.
•Kean University Small Business Counseling Sessions
•Entrepreneur Certificate Program (ECP)
•Accounting and QuickBooks Certificate
•Small Business Seminars
•And much more!
Take advantage of this opportunity! Click HERE to visit the Calendar of Events on the Affinity homepage and sign up for a class!
Pleas contact Phil Apruzzi with any questions or comments at 973-376-0066.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: PH2 SOLUTIONS, INC.
An Employment Opportunity is available for Drivability Technicians with PH2 Solutions:
General Requirements: Seeking a qualified repair technician familiar with the fundamentals of On-Board Diagnostic (OBD II) drivability concepts such as DTC’s, Pending Codes, Data Stream and Readiness Monitors.
Position: Drivability Technicians
Role: Market Areas, Demonstrate, Train and Support unique and proven drivability software driven product.
Market Areas: NJ Counties - Essex, Union, Morris, Hudson, Passaic, and Bergen
Compensation type: Base + Commission
For information: Call 973.902.5517 or email your resume to sales@ph2solutions.com or gcowart@ph2solutions.com
EOE/M/F/D/V
NEWS AROUND THE STATE
2/4/2010:
Business Leaders say Garden state is no longer affordable
Industry and business officials met this week to unveil an agenda aimed at demanding changes in taxes and public spending. The meeting was promoted as business leaders throughout the state continue to see New Jersey becoming more and more unaffordable and businesses leaving for other states. The meeting comes as the state’s unemployment rate is over 10% and next year’s budget shortfall is expected to reach over $8 billion.
2/4/2010:
NJ loses $70 billion as residents leave for other states
A recent report illustrates that New Jersey lost more than $70 billion in wealth between 2004 and 2008 as affluent residents moved to other states. The report found those residents who left moved to states like Florida, Pennsylvania and even New York. The authors of the report place the blame on tax policies and predict it will continue to harm the state’s fiscal health.
2/1/2010:
Christie names new MVC Director
Governor Christie has recently announced the appointment of Raymond Martinez to lead the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission. Martinez, a former Commissioner of the NY Department of Motor Vehicles, will oversee a department that generates of $1 billion in revenue and serves 20 million customers per year.
1/27/2010:
NJGCA in the News: Risalvato on gasoline prices
Executive Director Sal Risalvato recently spoke with the Asbury Park Press regarding the anticipated climb in the price of gasoline. Click on the link above to read what Sal had to say about fuel prices.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES IN OUR “NEWS AROUND THE STATE” ARCHIVE
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