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May 31, 2018

Dear NJGCA Member:

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

Here is what you will find in this edition:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE:

• Employment Policies Survey; Class A/B Operator Training Exams; Next Diner Tour June 13th; Primary Election Day on Tuesday; Member of NJGCA Family Passes

NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS
- Monmouth County: Gas Station and Repair Shop Business Since 2001
- Asbury Park: Commercial Building for Sale. Possible Sale of Business
- Bergen County: Shell Gas Station with 6-Bay Repair Shop for Sale

NEWS AROUND THE STATE
• New Jersey Becomes Second State To Adopt Individual Health Insurance Mandate
• Will New Jersey Ban The Bag — Or Impose 5-cent Fee On Each One?
• Tax Em' If You've Got Em'? Phil Murphy Wants Levy On E-Cigarettes
• Pump Prices Hold Even as Crude Costs Tumble
• Here’s Who To Blame For Rising Gasoline Prices
• Still Smarting From That 23-cent Gas Tax Hike? It Could Go Up Again
• Murphy To Host Ramadan Iftar Dinner At Mansion, Ending A Six-year Hiatus
• Analyst: Gas Prices Putting Pressure on Cigarette & Beverage Sales

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!
??????• Emissions Inspector Training Class, TUESDAY, May 8th
??????• ETEP Re-Cert Class, THURSDAY June 21, 28, July 5, and WEDNESDAY July 11th

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD
• The Amato Agency: Garage Insurance and Workers Compensation!
• ATS Environmental: Confidence in your Tank & Compliance Testing
• Bellomo Fuel: Exceptional Service, Aggressive Petroleum Marketing
• CBIZ Insurance: Our Business is Growing Yours!
• Gill Energy: Getting you There!
• Lending Capital: "Commercial Loans Made Easy" Program
• Salomone Brothers: Tank Testing and Environmental Compliance
• TMP Energy Solutions: Another Way to Save On Your Energy Bills

POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
• Participate in the NJGCA PAC today and help us keep our Agenda rolling in Trenton!

Energy Information Agency Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices

JOIN NJGCA ON FACEBOOK -- CLICK HERE
TO SEE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL -- CLICK HERE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE:

EMPLOYMENT POLICIES SURVEY
CLASS A/B OPERATOR TRAINING EXAMS
NEXT DINER TOUR JUNE 13^TH
PRIMARY ELECTION DAY ON TUESDAY
MEMBER OF NJGCA FAMILY PASSES

Recently we have had some members who have expressed interest in comparing their employment policies in their repair shops with the policies of their colleagues to determine if they are being competitive with things like vacation time, sick leave and use of non-compete agreements. Look for a survey in the next few days that I will ask you to take a few minutes to complete so we can publish the results for other members to see. Your responses will be kept confidential.

We have had a lot of feedback regarding the testing for the Class A/B Operator Training and it seems that the test may be challenging, many have failed to pass on the first try. Of course, that is a concern to us, as it will be required that each UST location have both a Class A and B and even a Class C operator by October of 2018. Debbie Hill in our office has done some digging on comparing with other states. The EPA has posted both Comprehensive and Topic-Specific exams for you to practice with and are an excellent learning tool to practice the test. Here are the necessary steps to access these exams:

1) Access this link: https://www.epa.gov/ust/class-a-and-class-b-ust-operator#access
2) Click: Comprehensive Exam
3) Click: View Exams
4) Register:

Your Email Address
First Name
Last Name
Type of Facility: Marketer
Both Class A & B
Original Training - To Practice for the EXAM
Answer how many years you are an operator

5) Click View
6) On the left of the screen you will be able to access 30 different tests that you can take by simply clicking on each one.
7) As you take the test – you will immediately know if you have answered the test correctly or not.

Give us your feedback and let us know if this has been helpful.

I want to remind you all that our next diner tour is quickly approaching on June 13^th at the Suburban Diner in Paramus. Make sure to let Michelle know if you will be able to attend by emailing her michelle@njgca.org or calling the office. This is your opportunity to ask questions and provide us with valuable feedback on issues that are of importance to you. All are welcome to attend.

New Jersey’s primary election is on Tuesday, June 5^th. We have several friends who have been supportive of actions in the House of Representatives. If Congressman Leonard Lance is your Representative in the 7^th District (Hunterdon, Essex, Morris, Somerset, Union and Warren counties), please make an effort to go out and vote for him. Another good friend is Assemblyman Jay Webber, who is running for the seat held vacant by Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen in the 11^th District (Morris County). Jay is also someone who it is extremely important gets elected. Don’t forget to go to the polls and vote, especially if you live in any of the counties mentioned!

On a sad note, we have lost a member of the NJGCA family. Many of you may remember Phil Apruzzi was an important part of our staff until 2012. Phil called on many of you at your shops and assisted many of you with several important matters. I speak for everyone here when we offer our thoughts and prayers to Phil’s family and wish for him an eternal peace.

That’s all for this week,

Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

TRAINING CLASSES!!
All classes held at NJGCA HQ -- 4900 Route 33 West, Wall Township, NJ 07753

Emissions Inspector Training Class - One Day Only!
THURSDAY, JUNE 7th, 2018 -- 7 AM to 3 PM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9th, 2018 -- 7 AM to 3 PM
Want one of your technicians to become a NJ Emissions Inspector? We can help! Our one-day class will provide all the information for becoming a NJ Emissions Inspector, and the State will administer the written test the very same day at our offices! We are offering the class: Thursday, June 7th from 7:00am to 3:00pm. Cost $275.
Click HERE for the registration form for June 7th and HERE for August 9th, and please send Debbie Hill a copy of your drivers license with the registration form

ETEP Re-Certification Classes -- Sections 8, 9, and 10

Stop turning away work!! The New Jersey Inspection Program requires vehicles that fail emissions inspection to go to a Licensed Certified Emission Inspector for Repairs! When the new program begins, a list of Certified Emission Repair Shops will be given to vehicle owners! If you want your business name on the list – make sure you have a Certified Licensed Emission Repair Technician & an Emission Repair Facility License!

This class runs on Thursdays from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM for 4 weeks.
Class dates are Thursday, June 21, 28, July 5th and WEDNESDAY July 11th.

Fees for members are $675 and non-members are $795.
Click HERE for registration form.

FUTURE CLASSES WILL BE ADDED UPON REQUEST AND ACCORDING TO DEMAND. CONTACT DEBBIE at 732-256-9646 or DEBBIE@NJGCA.ORG TO LET HER KNOW YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING A SPECIFIC CLASS. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO GAUGE YOUR NEEDS AND KEEP TRACK OF THOSE WISHING TO PARTICIPATE!!

CLASSIFIEDS! -- FOR SALE & HELP WANTED ADS

FOR SALE:

Business For Sale: Monmouth County gas station and repair shop in business since 2001 is for sale. Owner is relocating out of state and is interested in selling business and equipment. Owner is open to limited financing. Business has a strong 10 year lease. The building has two repair bays and the gas pumps are leased to a large independent tenant. Repair shop business currently employs a Manager and two full-time Technicians. For inquiries and more info, please call Mark at 908-670-7798.

FOR SALE:

Commercial Building in Asbury Park, Possible Sale of Business, Too! For listing information, please click HERE.

FOR SALE:

Shell Gas Station with 6-Bay Repair Shop for Sale in Bergen County!

Business established in 1980. Fully equipped repair shop with 5 lifts including an alignment rack with a 2-year-old Hunter Hawkeye alignment machine. New Hunter tire machine & wheel balancer. AAA approved and very busy.

Towing business also available which includes 3 Freightliner/JerrDan flatbeds (2015, 2016 & 2017), a 2012 Dodge crew cab wrecker with a Jerrdan Quick Pick & dual cable winch & 2 service trucks (a 2012 GMC 2500 utility truck with a plow & a 2014 Ford transit battery/service vehicle).

Pumping over 1,000,000 gallons per year. 100x300 lot with plenty of parking. Excellent location!!! Call Jim @ 201-851-3084.

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

5/30/18
New Jersey Becomes Second State To Adopt Individual Health Insurance Mandate
Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday signed into law a bill that will require all New Jersey residents to have health coverage or pay a penalty, making the state the second in the country to adopt an individual health insurance mandate. Democratic lawmakers drafted the bill, NJ A3380 (18R), in response to Congress’ decision to repeal the federal mandate established under the Affordable Care Act. The repeal, the New Jersey lawmakers feared, would drive healthier people out of the state’s Obamacare market and cause premiums to spike. New Jersey’s mandate is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2019, which gives state officials seven months to get the word out to residents about the new requirement.

5/30/18
Will New Jersey Ban The Bag — Or Impose 5-cent Fee On Each One?Assemblyman John McKeon, an environmental advocate from Essex County, introduced a bill (A-4040) last week proposing a ban to phase out noncombustible plastic carry-out bags three years after enactment. The idea of a ban is backed by many environmentalists, but so far only two states have prohibited the use of plastic bags — although several major cities have adopted bans, including San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston. McKeon’s latest bill is an updated version of a measure that has been kicking around the Legislature for years. In New Jersey, the debate over an outright ban on plastic bags may come down to whether a better approach might be to impose a 5-cent fee on single-use carry out bags as proposed by a bill (A-3267) sponsored by Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle (D-Bergen). That bill is backed by the New Jersey Food Council, which views it as a sound approach to dealing with the issue, according to Linda Doherty, its president.

5/30/18
Tax Em' If You've Got Em'? Phil Murphy Wants Levy On E-Cigarettes
Borrowing from a bill that's languished in the state Legislature, Murphy's state budget anticipates raising $59 million from new taxes on e-cigarettes and tobacco products in New Jersey for cash-starved state coffers. That bill combines a 75 percent wholesale tax on e-cigarettes with a rise in the wholesale tax on tobacco products from 30 percent to 68 percent and per-ounce hikes on other tobacco products. Murphy's state Treasury Department clarified last week that its own mix is still in flux. Catherine Brennan, deputy treasurer, said the administration is reviewing how price will affect demand, and aiming at a rate that's competitive with nearby states.

5/29/18
Pump Prices Hold Even as Crude Costs Tumble
The national average price of gas remained steady over Memorial Day Weekend, standing still at $2.97 for five straight days. Meanwhile crude oil prices dropped, AAA reported. Some 17 states now have an average price of gas at or above $3 per gallon, while four additional states— Indiana, Maryland, New Mexico and Massachusetts—are just cents away from $3 gas, AAA pointed out. Wisconsin (+27 cents) and Colorado (+26 cents) saw the biggest monthly increases, but a handful of states were close behind with similar double-digit price climbs.

5/29/18
Here’s Who To Blame For Rising Gasoline Prices
At an average of almost $3 a gallon, pump prices are 60 cents more than last Memorial Day and the highest in four years. Economists agree that no person or action can single-handedly affect pump prices over time, which are largely driven by a global oil market. Influencers include President Trump, OPEC and Russia, the EPA, where you live and what you drive, and fracking.

5/28/18
Still Smarting From That 23-cent Gas Tax Hike? It Could Go Up Again
This update from state budget experts may smart: Gas tax collections are down and the tax rate may be increased later this summer to ensure it brings in enough cash to pay the bills for road and rail projects around the state. Until 2016, New Jersey motorists enjoyed the second-lowest gasoline taxes in the country. But lawmakers desperate to raise money for a nearly empty Transportation Trust fund struck a deal with then-Gov. Chris Christie to hike gas taxes 23 cents per gallon and cut the sales tax, eliminate the estate tax, raise the retirement income exclusion and the Earned Income Tax Credit and offer a tax credit for veterans. That tax hike -- along with increases in diesel fuels and non-motor fuels -- is expected to bring in about $1.2 billion each year. If it brings in more or less than that as consumption rises or falls, the treasurer can adjust the rate to keep it on target.

5/25/18
Murphy To Host Ramadan Iftar Dinner At Mansion, Ending A Six-year Hiatus
Ending a six-year hiatus, Gov. Phil Murphy is reviving a state tradition by hosting an iftar meal to break the Ramadan fast at the governor’s mansion on Tuesday evening. Muslim leaders say Murphy, who pledged to be inclusive while in office, has consulted them, visited their mosques and institutions, and hired Muslim-Americans for his administration. Aref Assaf, a Denville resident and president of the Paterson-based American Arab Forum, said the invitation to dine with the governor shouldn't be a big deal, given that governors routinely reach out and celebrate holidays with members of different communities. He was doing what was right, he said. "We believe we’ve been besieged and our voices have been muffled," Assaf said, "so whenever an opportunity arises and our religious and cultural celebrations are acknowledged, that is a milestone."

5/25/18
Analyst: Gas Prices Putting Pressure on Cigarette & Beverage Sales
Rising gas prices are putting pressure on the convenience channel's core customer, but Wells Fargo Securities LLC expects to see some relief after the summer and into early next year. The pressures facing convenience stores' core lower-income consumer, in turn, can lead to pressures on premium cigarette and beverage volumes. Looking at responses from its recent Tobacco Talk and Beverage Buzz surveys, Wells Fargo Securities found that rising prices at the pump are having some negative effects on in-store traffic and consumer spending decisions on beverage and tobacco products. Other factors pressuring cigarette volumes include higher prices, health concerns, rising popularity of electronic cigarettes, and increased regulations.

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 require 12 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 732-256-9646 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.

POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC

DEFENDING OUR MEMBERS.
PROTECTING YOUR INTERESTS.
ANSWER THE CALL & CONTRIBUTE TODAY!!

Promoting our agenda in Trenton is of utmost importance to NJGCA and our members.

However, in order to truly affect the debate, we must ensure our friends in the Legislature are re-elected. 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 a few. This is not only unfair to those few members who have shouldered this burden, but means we are not utilizing our full strength to affect the debate in Trenton.

To truly understand the importance of supporting our allies, consider our successes in Trenton:

We defeated BELOW COST SELLING
We made history in getting FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL signed into law!
We have built large support for RIGHT TO REPAIR and got it passed out of the Assembly
We defended your small business against the false accusations of Attorney General Anne Milgram
We gained wide support to move New Jersey to an all PIF Inspection System and close the CIF lanes
...and MUCH MORE!!

In each instance, we achieved these goals with the help of our friends in the Legislature!

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
4900 Route 33 West, Suite 100
Wall Township, NJ 07753
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.

Energy Information Agency Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices

Each week, the Energy Information Administration publishes a list of average gasoline prices for the previous three weeks. NJGCA will begin including this list with the Weekly Road Warrior. Remember, these prices are reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.