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July 23, 2010
GREETINGS AND SAL-UTATIONS!
Dear NJGCA Member:
INSPECTION NOTICE, DIESEL TAXES & MORE!
Yes, that’s right – As much as it’s beginning to nauseate me, this week we are still talking (in part) about inspections. BUT, it’s not as bad as you think, so please read on!!
First, I need to tell you some important information about the already-announced changes in the inspection program.
Effective August 1, 2010, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission will make changes to the Enhanced Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program. These changes will include the extension of the New Car Dealer Exemption from four years to five years and the elimination of Safety Inspections for passenger vehicles as well as motorcycles.
Additionally, Safety Inspections WILL CONTINUE for vehicles registered for COMMERCIAL use. These vehicles include: Automobiles with commercial plates, taxi-cabs, livery service vehicles (limousines), ambulances registered by the NJ Department of Health, passenger buses, governmental vehicles, vehicles registered to not-for-profit organizations, and all diesel-powered vehicles plated commercially with a gross-weight of 9,999 lbs or less. These vehicles must be presented ANNUALLY for Safety Inspections.
HOWEVER: Any vehicle that was rejected before August 1st for a Safety Inspection defect will still be required to get those problems addressed and pass re-inspection before getting an inspections sticker. Furthermore, any vehicle that was due for inspection prior to August 1st – but was NOT PRESENTED for an initial inspection before the new rules take effect on August 1st – will only have to pass an emissions test.
For some strange reason, MVC has not officially notified you over the VID on this information, so I am informing you since I have been officially notified. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to us.
Secondly, last week I told you that a number of pinheads and pundits out there were ripping into the Governor’s Privatization Task Force Report that accepted my recommendation that New Jersey move to an all PIF inspection program. This week I’m informing you that not only have the rants continued, but the editorial boards of many news outfits are cranking up the heat! These commentaries aren’t just incredibly negative, but in some cases they are factually inaccurate.
Want an example? Click HERE to read an opinion piece that ran last Sunday in the Star-Ledger.
While we know they are upset that the Governor has accepted the Task Force’s Report and supports a transition to an all-private inspection program, they also realize that this is far from a done-deal. They are hoping that if they rant enough and skew the facts in their favor, public opinion for privatization will drop and any migration to the proposed system will be scuttled.
This should just underline what we’ve been saying all along: That just because our plan has been well received by the Governor and many Legislators, doesn’t mean that the war is over. In fact, it’s just beginning – and we are a long way off from declaring victory. While I fervently hope that next year we can seal the deal on this, we may have to do quite a bit of work to make it a reality.
And that’s where YOU – and every PIF in the state – jump into the mix. I’m asking every one of you to stand-fast and report for duty when we push the panic button. I’m giving you fair-warning, so be prepared!
And while we are still talking about the inspection program, I need you to do a little homework for me. It would be very helpful to me in our privatization efforts if you could accurately time how long it takes you to perform an EMISSIONS ONLY inspection. Just don’t time one car and send it to me. Instead, conduct emissions inspections on five or six cars and email me the time results for each. For those of you who do bench tests regularly, send me this timed-information as well at sal@njgca.org
I will need to eventually present the shortest to the longest time-frames for an average inspection when meeting with state officials and Legislators. I’m counting on you to help me get real-world numbers to make my case.
A few weeks back I mentioned that there will be a change in how diesel taxes are collected. For those of you who have not been reading regularly, the Department of Taxation has changed their regulations to allow diesel taxes to be collected at the rack. That means, just as in gasoline sales, the process is streamlined and you WILL NOT have to remit anymore of those silly tax returns or manage the funds that you collected from month to month.
HOWEVER, I cannot stress enough that you should be paying your diesel taxes normally until you are officially notified by Trenton of the change. I have been informed that the Department of Taxation is making every effort to start collecting these taxes at the rack by October 1st. Still, my instincts are telling me that they won’t have everything in place by then.
That means, DO NOT take it upon yourself to simply stop filling out your forms or submitting your monthly returns. While we are all looking forward to having the new plan implemented, don’t take it upon yourself to halt your monthly submittals and give them the opportunity to fine you. Any penalties levied promise to be burdensome --- AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS and wait for the official notification from Trenton.
By now you should have received the latest edition of our On The Road publication. Please take the time to read through it and see what we have to report. For those of you who have NOT received it, but would like to view the June OTR online, please CLICK HERE to see the latest installment (give it a few moments to load). If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me.
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 DETAILS 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
•National unemployment claims rise last week
•State businesses fined for hiring illegal immigrants
•Report finds non-public school save taxpayers billions a year
•Analysts: State budget problems are far from over
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!!
CALL FOR FUTURE CLASS SCHEDULE INFORMATION
TWO CLASS OPTIONS!!
1). EMISSION REPAIR TECHNICIAN RE-CERTIFICATION CLASS
New Jersey Gasoline C-Store Automotive Association (NJGCA) is offering the ETEP course that your ERTs need in order to recertify 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
Springfield - Union County (TWO DAY CLASS)
Class to be held at NJGCA Headquarters
66 Morris Ave.
Springfield, NJ 07081
August 12th & 19th
8:00am to 4:00pm
2). INITIAL EMISSION REPAIR TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION CLASS
New Jersey Gasoline C-Store Automotive Association (NJGCA) is offering an INITIAL ETEP Certification course. This is the entire program, section 1 – 7. This is everything you need to become a licensed Emission Repair Technician.
Our Course includes:
• New Jersey State Specific Information Course
• ETEP Sections 1-7 – THE ENTIRE ETEP CIRRICULUM
• Section 7 “Light-Duty Diesel Vehicle Technologies and Testing”.
• EIGHT DAY CLASS
Everything to become an Emission Repair Technician!!
LOCATION:
Springfield - Union County (EIGHT FULL-DAY CLASSES)
Class to be held at NJGCA Headquarters
66 Morris Ave.
Springfield, NJ 07081
September 16th – November 4th (Every Thursday for 8 weeks!)
8:00am to 4:00pm
CLASS COST (INCLUDING MANUALS):
• NJGCA Member rates: $1,495.00
• NON-Member rates: $1,695.00
CALL FOR CLASS INFORMATION
PLEASE NOTE: We are always in the process of putting together additional classes. 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
7/22/2010:
National unemployment claims rise last week
The number of individuals filing for their initial unemployment insurance benefits rose last week to 464,000. The increase follows a decline in jobless claims the previous week, which was 37,000 lower. Most economists claim this number was higher than expected and state that it is consistent with worries about the labor market, consumer spending and the general health of the U.S. economy.
7/22/2010:
State businesses fined for hiring illegal immigrants
New Jersey businesses were fined $640,000 for employing illegal immigrants at their establishments. The fines are 15 times higher than all the fines imposed in 2009 and are primarily focused on 13 different employers.
7/20/2010:
Report finds non-public school save taxpayers billions a year
A recently released report stats that non-public schools provide more options for educating children while saving New Jersey $2.7 billion annually. The report also states that Trenton adopt a tax credit for those who parents decide to send their children to private, parochial, or other non-public schools. Enrollment in New Jersey’s non-public schools dropped by 29,000 students from 2004 to 2009. This decline cost taxpayers more than $430 million a year when these 29,000 students where then forced to enroll in public school.
7/18/2010:
Analysts: State budget problems are far from over
Despite closing an enormous $11 billion budget shortfall for the coming 2010-2011 Fiscal Year, New Jersey’s budget woes are far from over. Analysts predict that long-standing fiscal problems will create another multi-billion dollar shortfall next year. Christie Administration officials state that with the economy slowing and the impact of federal stimulus dollars expended, further cuts will be necessary.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES IN OUR “NEWS AROUND THE STATE” ARCHIVE
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