March 26, 2010

GREETINGS AND SAL-UTATIONS!

Dear NJGCA Member:

INSPECTION UPDATE, SUCCESS AT NORTHEAST & BUDGET BLUES

Though my instinct is to start off this week’s Road Warrior with highlights from NORTHEAST, it’s crucial that you read what I have to say about inspections right off the bat.

As you know, we have been reporting on the progress MVC and Parsons are making on the inspection program switch for the last few months.  As of today, they are poised to officially begin changing over all PIF locations on Monday the 29th. 

That means that getting the final details right are now more important than ever.  A VID message was sent to all of you recently requesting that you reinitialize your equipment in order to download the latest version of their software.  If you ignore this message it will delay your facility from being switched to the new equipment.  DON’T LET THAT HAPPEN.  If a technician show up at your shop to make the conversion, and you have not downloaded the new version of software, chances are you will be pushed to the end of the line as they move onto the next location. Or, it’s very possible that MVC/Parsons will just review your file, see that you haven’t reinitialized your equipment, and simply skip you until the end of the process. Again – DON’T LET THAT HAPPEN.  Reinitialize your equipment now so you can avoid any delays and get switched over as soon as possible.

Coinciding with the reinitializing issue is the problem of finger-printing.  Unfortunately many of you have STILL NOT BEEN finger-printed yet.  Guys --- what gives?!?!  Any lag in getting this requirement finished will only mean a delay in converting your shop to the new program.  You paid big money to purchase that equipment, and the longer you’re unable to perform inspections, the longer it will take for you to pay off your investment.

Click HERE to see a list that has been provided to us of all those that STILL MUST be finger-printed.   If your name is incorrectly on this list, please contact me and I will have it straightened out.  Instructional details can also be viewed by clicking HERE
 
Now onto NORTHEAST 2010!

We are pleased to say that this year’s show was an incredible SUCCESS!!

First and foremost I’d like to thank everyone who attended the show, as well as all the vendors, exhibitors, and seminar presenters who helped make NORTHEAST 2010 such an achievement!

To those who didn’t make it, I’m sorry to say you missed one hell of an event.  Tradeshow attendees were treated to a great show-going-experience!  We had established vendors like ATS Environmental, Environmental Alliance, Able-Tech Information Management Services set up right alongside new exhibitors in the convenience store and service station industries like 7-Eleven, Consolidated Service Distributors, Harold Levinson Associates, Access to Money ATM Services, and more!  Our SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPIONS -- Association Master Trust, Meadowbrook Insurance, and the Amato Agency – met with many members to discuss their policies and save money.  Best of all, our seminars were well received and got very positive feedback.  In fact, our Fat Margins Repair Workshop WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY and Family Fun Day was another hit!

This was our second year promoting the tradeshow and there was a drastic improvement over last year’s show.  Yet, though we have ideas on how to grow the show even more next year, we’d appreciate your feedback and opinion!  If you have any suggestions, comments or insight on what you liked and how to make NORTHEAST 2011 even better, WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT!  Do not hesitate to contact me and let me know what you think!

Anyone remotely paying attention knows that this year’s budget process has been difficult at best.  While I know that many of you aren’t political animals or continually read what’s going on in the papers, I must ask you to please pay attention to what’s going on.  I will try to update you weekly as the process unfolds.  However, the situation in Trenton is chaotic and this budget crisis is going to affect you more than you realize.  Its not only going to impact your business finances, but your home taxes, municipal taxes, school taxes, and endless regulations.  What’s more, it will also impact your employees and patrons in the exact same way.  Just like throwing a stone in a pond, the ripple effect will be vast and can have unforeseen consequences on you.  We are working with the Governor and every department in the Administration to identify ways that the state can save money without placing more burdens on you or your customers.  But in order to stay informed, you have to pay attention to what’s going on or it may cost you more than you think! 
 
SPECIAL NOTE: I'm becoming very concerned about Lehigh Petroleum and how they are treating select Exxon dealers.  It has now gotten serious enough that I’m asking anyone who is supplied by Lehigh to contact me.   In addition, if you are a LUKOIL dealer and did not attend the recent meeting I held a few weeks ago, you should contact me immediately!

Thanks for reading and 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!

NEWS AROUND THE STATE
•Lawmaker proposes local sales, income taxes
•Red decals to be used to identify young drivers
•Pension changes clear state Assembly
•Teacher tenure reviewed as legal fees mount

 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

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

3/25/2010:
Lawmaker proposes local sales, income taxes
As state lawmakers are seeking to close a multi-billion dollar budget gap, the chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee is pushing for a plan that would allow municipalities to set their own income taxes and sales taxes.  The plan calls for lowering the state sales and income taxes but allow local government to lower their property taxes while setting local income and sales taxes.

3/24/2010:
Red decals to be used to identify young drivers
State officials will begin to implement a new law requiring New Jersey drivers under 21 years old to place a red decal on their vehicle license plates.  Authorities hope that this will help to identify newer drivers with provisional licenses.  Known as Kyleigh’s Law, the measure is named after a Morris County teenager who died in a car accident.

3/22/2010:
Pension changes clear state Assembly
A bill aimed at reining the costs of future public employee retirees has cleared the Assembly.  The bill will require government workers to contribute to the cost of their health insurance, cap sick days and vacation days that can be cashed out at retirement, and bar part-time employees from being part of the pension system.

3/21/2010:
Teacher tenure reviewed as legal fees mount
With school districts spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees to remove underperforming teachers from their contracts, many school districts and taxpayers are beginning to ask that the tenure process be reformed.  Officials state that it takes over a year and over $100,000 to complete a tenure trial.

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