June 13, 2014

Dear NJGCA Member:

Thank you for reading this week's NJGCA Road Warrior!

Here is what you will find in this edition:

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

ATTENDANT SHOT IN GAS STATION ROBBERY
CRIME RESEARCH SURVEY WILL HELP SELF-SERVE SUPPORTERS
NJGCA MEETING ON NEW MVC INSPECTION PROGRAM
NJGCA PAC FUNDRAISER - JUNE 24, 2014
PROPOSAL TO RAISE AGE TO PURCHASE TOBACCO

For too many weeks I've been mentioning crimes and robberies committed at gas stations.  Unfortunately, there was another violent robbery this week. this one in Ridgefield Park.  The attendant was shot in the abdomen before the assailant stole the money the attendant was carrying and drove off. NJGCA is fortunate to have partnered with John Jay College and a group of researchers interested in helping us find ways to keep our businesses and our employees safer! However, we can't accomplish this without your help!! It surprises me that participation levels have been so low, considering how important this issue is. If you have any difficulty with the survey simply send an email to jacy@njgca.org and she will have someone call to assist you. This is important enough that we will assist however necessary!
 
On the other hand, I was pleased to see how responsive you all were to the self-serve survey that I sent out in January. I received an overwhelming number of responses, and the clear preference of my members is in favor of self-serve. One of the main arguments that NJGCA and employers can use to convince legislators and the public about the necessity of self-serve is the safety of the employees and attendants. However, anecdotal stories will not be enough.  We will need hard evidence to show that gas attendants are frequent victims of crime. THAT IS WHERE THIS SURVEY COMES IN. All of you who are in favor of self-serve and have ever had an employee been the victim of a crime should be rushing to fill out this survey and provide information about the situations in which your business and your employees have been endangered. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE SURVEY.
 
Moving on, in recent Road Warriors I made numerous mentions of the NJGCA committee I was assembling to discuss the new MVC inspection program, and I wanted to thank the members who responded to my request and attended the meeting. The members that attended expressed disappointment that more of their fellow members had not volunteered to participate, and I agree! More members should have participated! However, the meeting went well and we received numerous very valuable suggestions. I am compiling a report that I will issue to the Governor, the State Treasurer, and the heads of the Motor Vehicle Commission and the DEP with our recommendations for the next generation of emissions inspections.
 
This week, I also need to mention our very important NJGCA PAC FUNDRAISER on June 24, 2014 in Forked River. This clay shooting event will be fun for everyone, whether you are an amateur or expert shooter. For more information, click here for the invitation and response form. YOU CAN REGISTER AND PAY FOR THE EVENT ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE! We also have a sponsorship form if you know of a business, corporation, supplier, or anyone that you work closely with who you think may be interested in supporting our cause. Please, join us as we work to influence positive changes and prevent destructive policies in Trenton!
 
One such policy that I opposed last week is the proposal to increase the age to purchase tobacco. After my testimony at the committee hearing and an NJGCA press release, there were a number of news articles I want you to be aware of. We've been embroiled in a number of tobacco-related issues this year, mostly because many of you have contacted me to inform me and alert me about how important these issues are to you. While I agree that these products provide very important economic benefits to my members, it is difficult to balance these arguments with the increasingly overwhelming evidence about the negative health issues associated with tobacco. These conflicts will continue to arise and provide enormous obstacles to the work that this association does to promote free-market policies and support the livelihoods of our members.  Your participation at the NJGCA PAC event will help us protect your business!

Thanks for reading -- See you next week!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

CLASSIFIEDS! -- FOR SALE & HELP WANTED ADS 

Do you have a business for sale?  Are you looking for a new location or opportunity?

• NJGCA was recently able to lend a hand to members looking to sell their business by getting the word out.  Since everyone reading this message is involved in the small business gasoline retail, convenience store, and automotive repair trades, it is an ideal medium to connect with interested buyers and prospects!

NJGCA also helps members sell equipment by placing advertisements in the Road Warrior!

• If you'd like to list equipment for sale, or have an open position you'd like to make other industry professionals aware of, please contact NJGCA at 973-376-0066 and let us help you get the word out! 

If you'd like to list your business for sale, publish a location you're selling, or are seeking a business partner for your establishment, please contact NJGCA at 973-376-0066! 

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

06/12/2014:
Opinion: N.J. drivers should rise up against gas tax hike, focus on lowering road costs instead
This opinion piece is written by Daryn Iwicki, state director for Americans for Prosperity’s (AFP) New Jersey chapter. AFP is one of the only other groups that has come out publicly against increasing the gas tax. In this opinion piece, Daryn examines the far-reaching effects of "paying a few extra cents at the pump."  The repercussions of this take hike will ripple through our economy, leading to higher costs for all kinds of goods and services. The cost to mow the lawn goes up, which means homeowners’ fees will go up. The local pizza joint or Chinese take-out restaurant will raise prices due to higher delivery costs. Most important, the cost of goods will go up as our trucking industry is hit hard by raising the gas tax. As the gas tax goes up, our quality of life goes down. To read all of Daryn's arguments, please click the link above.

06/11/2014:
Retailers Lash Out at Christie's E-Cig Tax
Electronic cigarette manufacturers like Lorillard (maker of blu Ecigs) and NJOY aren't the only ones speaking out against Governor Christie's proposal to levy 75% tax on vaping products. Nearly 50 independent electronic cigarette retailers have formed the New Jersey Vapor Retailers Coalition to fight the legislation. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the group has hired the New Jersey lobbying giant MWW to make the case that such a steep tax would hurt not just vapor-centric businesses, but any retailer currently in the business, including c-stores and tobacco stores. Kevin Roberts, a spokesperson for Christie, told the Journal that the administration was sympathetic to small businesses, but thinks the tax is fair after studying the potential ramifications.

 
06/09/2014:
State Legislators Debate Raising NJ's Minimum Age for Cigarette Sales
If the New Jersey Legislature approves Senate Bill 602 / Assembly Bill 3254, New Jersey will be the only state to increase the minimum age to purchase cigarettes to 21 years old. The bill pits public-health advocates against business owners. The former basically advance two arguments: Raising the legal age to 21 will keep cigarettes out of the hands of high-school kids. Further, statistics show that some smokers don't start until between 19 and 20. Business owners argue that it’s unfair to put the entire responsibility for curbing smoking on them. Pretty much the same arguments were made in the debate over a 2006 law raising the minimum age from 18 to 19. The new measure opens up another front in the battle: It would also apply to electronic cigarettes. To read NJGCA Executive Director Sal Risalvato's comments on this issue, please click the link.

06/08/2014:
EDITORIAL: ACA has left medical centers in need of help
Ever since the Supreme Court gave the Affordable Care Act its blessing, the hand-washing at many hospitals has been replaced by hand-wringing as administrators have complained about the various requirements they're forced to take on to comply with the law. The recession and subsequent recovery, if you call it that, have been incredibly hard on nonprofits, which have had to downsize as they work to -- like most companies -- do more with less. This has been a particular problem for hospitals, which have had to deal with those pressures plus an increasing load of uninsured patients. The ACA, of course, has magnified the problems for hospitals, and the wave of for-profit takeovers of nonprofit hospitals is evidence of how tightly hospitals are being squeezed. To read more about this issue, please click the link above.

TRAINING CLASSES!!
-ALL CLASSES WILL BE HELD AT NJGCA HEADQUARTERS-
66 Morris Avenue - Springfield, NJ 07081 (Union County)

In order to be licensed as a Motor Vehicle Emission Inspector, you must complete this course and pass a "Written Exam" given by the State of New Jersey. NJGCA offers this training in a ONE DAY State approved training program that will provide an understanding of inspection related issues including EPA Regulations, Safety, Diesel, Customer Service and the New Jersey State Specific Curriculum. This specially tailored NJGCA course fulfills all requirements.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD:

TMP Energy Solutions
Another Way to Save on Your Energy Bills

We have had a number of NJGCA members successfully reduce their rate per kWh signing up through our energy saving program. We know it's difficult to collect 12 months worth of previous electric bills to get an "accurate" analysis when comparing a variable rate to a fixed rate, but we now have another option available. 

This new solution is a power purchase option; the other program is still in full force and has saved members thousands of dollars. If you sign up for the power purchase option, you will be grouped with other NJGCA members until the minimum KW demand is acquired. By pooling the member's usage together, you will be able to take advantage, as large energy users do, and receive a lower kWh rate.

Each member will receive their own contract. Each member is responsible to sign and return the agreement the day it is received in order to secure the price for their group.

Please do your due diligence, so when you receive the proposal and the agreement you will be able to make an intelligent decision.

If by chance, you still want us to assess you bills, to give you a price to compare, we will require12 months of your most recent utility bills.

There are no bills required, but we would still like to have one bill per meter on file to check account #'s, meter #'s  service addresses and other pertinent information incase there is a problem.

The term of the agreement is for 12 months. During this term period, you will have price protection against any energy price increases along with a low fixed kWh rate.

If you are interested in becoming part of this power purchase option, please contact Greg Cannon at the NJGCA.

Remember when you sign up your energy through the NJGCA Energy Program, TMP makes a considerable donation to the NJGCA Scholarship Fund through their proceeds. This has no affect on your rate, and costs you nothing out of pocket.

We hope to help hundreds of NJGCA members reduce their utility costs by participating in this and our other cost reduction programs.  Our purpose, in the endeavor, is to help NJGCA members lower their energy costs while supporting the NJGCA Scholarship Fund. 

Contact GREG CANNON at 973-376-0066 or email Greg at greg@njgca.org. Mention that you are interested in saving money on your energy bills. NJGCA & TMP Energy Solutions will handle all the rest.