May 30, 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! 

IMPORTANT RESEARCH ON CRIME AT GAS STATIONS
PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE GAS TAX
THE FUTURE OF INTERNET LOTTERY
NJGCA's MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION COMMITTEE
SPRING MEMBERSHIP DINNER MEETINGS

I want to again start off by drawing your attention to a troubling article I saw in the news this week... The headline was: "Robbers Hit Two More Elizabeth Service Stations, Latest in a Month of Attacks."  I cannot stress enough the concern that this causes me, and how lucky we are to be right now working on a research project to address this very issue.  Please, take just a moment to fill out our survey on crime at gas stations.  Gathering information from stations that have been victims of crime, and comparing that to the information from stations that have not been victims of crime, will help us draw significant conclusions about what you can do to make your station safer and protect your employees and your profits! Shootings have unfortunately become more common rather than rare.  CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY!
 
The gas tax also remained in the news this week, with a new radio ad sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, which opposes the increase of the tax. Despite this opposition and all that NJGCA is doing to fight the increased gas tax, we are faced with increasing pressure and a drum beat that is louder than ever.  The main reason that I am concerned right now is because there has been a shift in the way Governor Christie has approached the issue. The state is in dire need of money, and he no longer seems like the stern, tough-guy Governor Christie that he usually is on issues about raising taxes. What we have seen recently from Governor Christie is a little bit softer approach. And even if the Governor does protect us from the increase for the next three years, as soon as he is gone you can expect the floodgates to open -- and I'm certain that we will be subject to a gas tax and many other uncompetitive, anti-growth, anti-small business taxes and regulations.
 
I also read in the news this week that Minnesota has taken another step toward banning internet lottery. Both houses of the Minnesota Legislature recently passed a bill to ban internet lottery, and the bill is now on the Governor's desk. Most of you know that this is an issue which we have been dealing with here in New Jersey as well. Though there are proposals in the NJ Legislature to permit internet lottery, we have successfully stopped their progress, so far. Although this would be a great source of much-needed revenue for our State, I simply won't allow the budget gap to be filled at the expense of my members.
 
REMINDER: I will be hosting a meeting on June 10 at NJGCA Headquarters for anyone that is interested in discussing the new Motor Vehicle Inspection program. Lunch will be served, so please RSVP so that I know how many people to account for.
 
Finally, we had a very successful membership meeting on Wednesday night in Pompton Plains.  I have included some pictures of the event, and I would urge anyone in Central/Southern NJ to register for our June 3rd meeting in Tom's River.  You can register online by clicking HERE.

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! 

05/28/2014:
New E-Cig and OTP tax could wreak havoc in NJ if passed
A relatively new idea among state lawmakers is to propose taxing other tobacco products (OTP) including cigars, smokeless tobacco, pipe tobacco and even electronic cigarettes on a par with a state’s cigarette tax rate.  During a recent NJ Senate Health Committee hearing, two state senators proposed an amendment to Senate Bill 1867 which would adopt tax parity for all other tobacco products. As introduced, S.1867 only proposed a 75% tax on the wholesale cost of e-cigarettes. However, the amendment would “equalize” the tax on all other tobacco products with the state’s $2.70 per pack cigarette tax by proposing numerous new, outrageous increases. The amendment would also impose a floor stocks tax on both wholesalers and retailers on all of these tobacco products in stock on the day that these tax increases would go into effect.
 
05/28/2014:
7-Eleven Selling 75 Gas Stations, Two in NJ
Pruning locations that it said do not fit its retailing profile, 7-Eleven Inc. is selling 75 gas stations and convenience stores, including 31 locations in Florida, 14 in Virginia, six in Massachusetts and Illinois, three in Texas, two in NY, Delaware, NJ and Utah and one each in Arizona, Indiana, Maryland, Connecticut, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Vermont. "There are many nice sites in this package that simply do not fit 7-Eleven's current business model," said Robbie Radant, 7-Eleven vice president of mergers and acquisitions. "All of these stores have solid merchandise sales and should provide good opportunities for the right buyers." Lot sizes range from approx 5,300 square feet to 1.3 acres, while c-store sizes range from 1,870 square feet to 4,740 square feet. 7-Eleven is offering 37 of the sites as fee-owned properties, and the remaining 38 are leaseholds. It is selling all sites without 7-Eleven branding. Of the 75 locations, 22 are c-stores with gasoline, while 53 do not offer fuel. The company is selling most of the fuel sites with fuel supply, which SEI Fuels Inc., a 7-Eleven subsidiary, will provide.
 
05/27/2014:
Robbers hit two more Elizabeth service stations, latest in a month of attacks
In the span of 20 minutes, thieves struck at two Elizabeth service stations early Tuesday morning, adding to a month-long string of similar hold-ups in Union county. At 2:41 a.m. police responded to an attack at the Delta Gas station, 720 Spring St., when an attendant told officers one man forced him to the ground and punched and kicked him. A second thief stole $215 from one of the workers' pockets. The second theft occurred at about 3 a.m. A worker at the BP service station at 507 Bayway Ave. called police to report that he was attacked from behind by a man who put the victim in a "choke hold."  The victim told police he fell to the ground and nearly passed out as a second man went through his pockets and stole $140.  Police in several Union County municipalities have seen a string of similar robberies, with two men attacking an attendant. The first attacks occurred April 19. Similar crimes have been reported in Linden, Roselle Park and Union, as well as other assaults in Elizabeth. The victims have reported that one or both of the attackers was wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
 
05/27/2014:
AFP Launches New Taxpayer Minute To Fight NJ Gas Tax Hike
Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading grassroots, free-market group, is launching a new Taxpayer Minute radio spot to galvanize opposition to a potential gas tax hike. “New Jersey motorists have been slammed enough in recent years and many don’t see this coming,” stated AFP state director Daryn Iwicki. “A massive gas tax hike will just be another punch in the gut to taxpayers and to our struggling economy. We won’t sit back and let this happen. AFP is poised and ready to take on the fight.” The Taxpayer Minute spotlights a proposal by Sen. Ray Lesniak (D-20, Union) to raise the gas tax 15 cents over 3 years and comes at a time when a number of voices on the left have also been publicly pushing for a big gas tax hike. In an e-mail sent late last week, AFP alerted its base of 80,000-plus citizen-activists about the new effort, urging them to sign the pro-taxpayer group’s new petition letter which calls on Gov. Christie and state legislators to oppose any gas tax hike.

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.