March 19, 2010

GREETINGS AND SAL-UTATIONS!

Dear NJGCA Member:

WE ARE ALMOST THERE! TODAY'S HEADLINE COVERS TWO SUBJECTS!
NEW INSPECTION EQUIPMENT IS INCHES AWAY FROM OPERATING!
NORTHEAST 2010 ONLY ONE DAY AWAY!

As of 10AM this morning, the scheduled date to begin switching PIFs to the NEW Inspection Equipment remains March 29th.  This is the 3rd week in a row that the suits at MVC and Parsons have informed me on our weekly conference call that the date has not been pushed back further.  Considering all of the delinquencies and delays that have made implementation of the new program almost a year overdue, this is good news!

The remaining PIF Beta sites will be brought online today and tomorrow.  PIF Beta should be complete at the end of next week.  This will allow for ALL PIFs to begin using the new equipment.  MVC plans to convert PIFs at the rate of 100 per day between March 29 and April 16th.

Believe it or not there are still many of you that need to be fingerprinted.  I don’t know how to be more clear…..GET FINGERPRINTED OR YOUR NEW EQUIPMENT WILL NOT BE TURNED ON!

Here is another incredible fact.  There are still 33 PIFs that have never…yes that’s correct…NEVER initialized their new machines.  Guys….can you please hook the new machines to the internet and get them initialized???

Also please remember that if you are a DEIC facility, you will be required to have a PIF license and all inspectors MUST complete the required PIF training by July 1st.  NJGCA has a number of classes that you can get into in order to be certified.

I attended Governor Christie’s Budget Address on Tuesday.  It is refreshing to hear that our new Governor is committed to budget cuts rather than tax increases.  HOWEVER, I must reiterate once more…..I am very concerned that one method of cutting expenses that is being considered is to eliminate safety inspections and perform ONLY the Federally Mandated Emissions Test.  I have presented an alternate plan to Treasury officials, but I remain concerned.  I will need your help to stop this from happening.

Please stop by the NJGCA booth over the weekend at NORTHEAST 2010, and I will be happy to discuss the political situation in Trenton over a cup of coffee.

Speaking of NORTHEAST, unless you’ve been ignoring everything we’ve been sending you, you should be well aware that NORTHEAST 2010 OPENS TOMORROW NIGHT!!  That’s right, after months of planning and hard work, it’s finally here!

As we’ve said multiple times in the past, YOU SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD to miss this Tradeshow! 

Why should you attend? 

Its simple: NORTHEAST not only has something for everyone, but it can help you improve your business and save money! We’ve spared no effort to bring you the ONLY tradeshow of its kind in the region – Take advantage of it!

What am I talking about? 

I’m talking about great seminars like our Fat Margins Workshops on Saturday to help you make more money for what you already do or our Food Safety 101 Workshop to help convenience store owners stay in compliance!

I’m talking about walking a world-class tradeshow to the latest and greatest products and services to improve your establishment.  From established and longtime vendors like Environmental Alliance and PH2 Solutions to NEW exhibitors like 7-Eleven and AutoFry – We’ve got you covered!

I’m talking about sitting with our SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPIONS – Association Master Trust, Meadowbrook Insurance, and the Amato Agency – to review your needs and save money on your healthcare coverage, workers’ compensation, and liability insurance, respectively. Where else can you go to a tradeshow, bring along some paperwork, and speak face-to-face with these professionals to realize tangible savings for your small business!  NO WHERE!

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out a recent NJGCA Tradeshow Bulletin to see the list of vendors from all across the convenience store, gasoline station, and automotive services industries by clicking HERE  --- Then when you are done with that, click HERE to see a complete list of seminars and times.
 
NORTHEAST 2010 is a gateway to a more prosperous year for you, your employees, and your small business.  I can’t underscore enough how hard we’ve worked to bring you the very best show you’ll find anywhere. 

Don’t let it go to waste!  Take advantage of what we’re presenting you and come to NORTHEAST this weekend!

Finally this week, I wanted to update you on an important issue that NJGCA has been supporting for some time.  We have been working alongside the the Coalition to Stop Contraband Tobacco and related organizations to win support for the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking (PACT) Act of 2009.

We are proud to say that the bill has been passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.  It now must be signed by President Obama.

Please take a moment, view this important Action Alert in our Legislative Action Center, and ask President Obama to sign the bill into law!  Click HERE to view the Alert and find contact information for the White House!

Thanks for reading and see you at NORTHEAST 2010!!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

                  SAVE THE DATE AND ATTEND NORTHEAST 2010!                      

THE NORTHEAST 2010 TRADESHOW IS ALMOST HERE!!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND JOIN US ON MARCH 19TH - 21ST
AT THE MEADOWLANDS EXPOSITION CENTER!

 To Register for the Tradeshow FREE OF CHARGE click HERE
to visit the NORTHEAST 2010 Registration Page!

For more details & information, visit the NJGCA Tradeshow Homepage by clicking HERE

REGISTER TODAY & CALL US WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS!

 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!

NEWS AROUND THE STATE
•First time unemployment claims drop
•Column: Budget cuts reflect waning support for unions, public education
•Governor proposes $10.7 Billion in cuts
•Editorial: Public worker bargaining rules are rigged

 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: 973-477-0057
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!!

NJGCA has added additional classes in March and April!

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”.
Everything your technician needs to Re-Certify his ERT license!!!

Class Cost (Including Manuals):
•NJGCA Member rates: $489.00
•NON-Member rates: $629.00

March Class - Clayton/Gloucester County
DAY CLASSES
Two Tuesdays: March 16th and  March 23rd
8:30am to 4:30pm

April Class - Springfield/Union County
EVENING CLASSES
Tuesday and Thursdays: April 6th, 8th, 13th, 15th, and 20th
7:00pm to 10:00pm


FULL ETEP TRAINING CLASS
NJGCA is offering a full ETEP course for those wishing to be cetified as a Emission Repair Technician.

Class Cost (Including Manuals):
•NJGCA Member rates: $1,495.00
•NON-Member rates: $1,695.00

March-May Class - Springfield/Union County
All classes are on Thursdays, once a week starting on March 18th through May 20th
8am to 4pm

PLEASE NOTE: We are currently in the process of putting together additional class 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.

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.

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

3/18/2010:
First time unemployment claims drop
The number of newly laid of workers looking to collect unemployment benefits has dropped slightly for the third straight time, though initial claims remain above levels that would indicate a net gain of jobs.

3/18/2010:
Column: Budget cuts reflect waning support for unions, public education
Star-Ledger Columnist Bob Braun explores the history of public education funding over the last 20 years and the growing dissatisfaction with the current public education system among taxpayers.  Click above to read more.

3/16/2010:
Governor proposes $10.7 Billion in cuts
Earlier this week, Governor Christie unveiled his budget plan by cutting $10.7 billion from the next fiscal budget yet.  Outlining the details of the plan, the Governor blamed excessive spending over the last decade for the state’s fiscal woes and urged the Legislature to help him ease the burden on taxpayers.

3/1/2010:
Editorial: Public worker bargaining rules are rigged
A recent editorial by the Star-Ledger calls into question the state’s rules on collective bargaining and how public employee workers have the rules stacked in their favor.  The Editorial Board states that these rules make it difficult for local officials to keep costs in line.  Click above to read more.

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