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December 6, 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:

• Magnusen-Moss Update; Predatory Towing Update; Apprentices in Auto Repair; Menu Labeling Key Facts; Wage & Hour Webinar

NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS
- Monmouth County: Gas Station and Repair Shop Business Since 2001
- Bergen County: Shell Gas Station with 6-Bay Repair Shop for Sale

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

• Oil Plunges as OPEC Tries to Balance Supply Concerns With Trump's Demands
• 1 Big Thing: France As Climate Rorschach Test
• US Legislation Aimed At Reining In OPEC's Power Over Oil Markets Is A 'big Concern,' Barclays Says
• Gas Price Average Continues Drop, Hits Year Low
• Qatar Is Pulling Out Of OPEC To Focus On Gas
• More Oil Trains? Perth Amboy Terminal Could Become Hub For Crude Exports

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!

??????• Check back for more training classes from NJGCA

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

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE:

MAGNUSEN-MOSS UPDATE
PREDATORY TOWING UPDATE
APPRENTICES IN AUTO REPAIR
MANU LABELING KEY FACTS
WAGE & HOUR WEBINAR

Although this has been more difficult than I ever anticipated that it would be, I mentioned for over a year now that we have been trying to get legislation passed that would require every customer that purchases a new car to be sent a formal notice that their new car can be brought to your shop for regular service and maintenance, and that this will not void their warranty. Too many customers, and sadly, even shop owners believe that while a car is still under the manufacturer's warranty, service in an independent repair shop will void a customer’s warranty. Since this is false, and many dealership service writers have been known to pull the wool over their customers’ eyes, we feel this notice is necessary. Obviously, our friends in the car dealer industry think otherwise. Recently, we have been able to work out some compromises on this legislation with the car dealers and are confident that it should be moving through the legislative process soon. I also hope that we will have handouts for you to give to your customers to reinforce the fact that federal law permits a car under warranty to still be brought into your repair shop.

For those of you who still operate tow trucks, you know that the predatory towing act has created some problems for you since 2008. Even for those who operate honest businesses, the predatory towing act can create some burdens. Thanks to the efforts of several of our members who have bigger towing operations and the help of Senator Sarlo, legislation to close some burdensome loopholes in the act were passed on Monday at a Senate committee hearing. This is the first step in the process, but I am confident that this legislation will ultimately be signed by Governor Murphy. I will keep you updated as this progresses.

Many of you with auto repair shops know the difficulty finding qualified technicians. When I was in Las Vegas last month, a big concern amongst industry participants, including car manufacturers and dealerships is the lack of apprentice programs to help train young potential qualified technicians. I was pleased this past Monday to testify at a hearing at the Senate Labor Committee on a package of legislation that would create incentives for apprentice programs that can be used by you in your shops. Once again, this is the first step in the legislative process, but I am confident that this too will ultimately make it to Governor Murphy’s desk to be signed.

For those of you with convenience stores, I want to call your attention to a new key facts document issued by the FDA with regard to menu labeling. We mentioned this earlier this year as the date of compliance was in May. The document goes over some of the new requirements, who is covered, determining nutrition content in certain food products, where and how this information should be displayed. You can find that document HERE.

Finally, I want to remind you all of our next upcoming NJGCA webinar on Wage and Hour hosted by Alicyn Craig at our MBP MARC Law on January 9 from 2 to 3 PM. You can register for that webinar now HERE.

That's all for this week-

Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

TRAINING CLASSES!!

None at this time, check back for future training classes

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:

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

12/6/18
Oil Plunges as OPEC Tries to Balance Supply Concerns With Trump's Demands
The plunge in oil prices highlights the divide between Saudi Arabia on one side and the US and Russia on the other. As OPEC and its allies meet in Vienna Thursday, a geopolitical price war is raging in the background. . .Markets had previously expected to factor in a cut of around 1.3 million to 1.4 million barrels per day, according to Michael van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets. Brent crude oil plunged Thursday on fears that OPEC would not meet expectations and were down 2.4% at $60.12 a barrel as of 12:20 p.m. in London (7:20 a.m. ET) having fallen as much as 4.6% earlier in the day. West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, was down 2.5% at $51.61.

12/5/18
1 Big Thing: France As Climate Rorschach Test
One of the biggest stories in the energy world right now is the fallout after French President Emmanuel Macron caved on new motor fuel taxes, suspending their implementation for 6 months after rioters flooded Paris… The tumult at least partially signals the challenge of carbon pricing and raising fuel costs as a way to combat global warming, even as pricing regimes expand to more places.

12/4/18
US Legislation Aimed At Reining In Opec's Power Over Oil Markets Is A 'big Concern,' Barclays Says
The risk of U.S. legal action against OPEC could prompt more members of the influential oil cartel to sever ties with the group, according to the head of energy markets research at Barclays. Washington is reportedly considering legal claims against OPEC for allegedly manipulating the energy market. If passed, the proposed No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act — more commonly referred to as NOPEC — could revoke the sovereign immunity that has long shielded members of the Middle East-dominated group from U.S. legal action.

12/3/18
Gas Price Average Continues Drop, Hits Year Low
The gas price average has dropped to $2.46, a new low for 2018, and drivers in 32 states are also paying less to fill up compared to this time last year. The gas price average is two cents lower than it was one year ago, according to AAA.

12/3/18
Qatar Is Pulling Out Of OPEC To Focus On Gas
The small, gas-rich state of Qatar said Monday that it will leave the oil cartel on January 1 after nearly 60 years. The country's state oil company, Qatar Petroleum, made the announcement in a series of tweets. . .Qatar has been under a diplomatic and economic embargo by its Arab neighbors, including OPEC members Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, for the past 18 months. In response, Qatar has been increasing gas production, the mainstay of its economy. OPEC has no role in the global market for natural gas. And Qatar made no reference to the dispute with other Gulf states in its announcement, emphasizing plans to cement its position as the world's leading supplier of gas. Its exports currently account for about 30% of global demand.

11/30/18
More Oil Trains? Perth Amboy Terminal Could Become Hub For Crude Exports
Now, more oil trains may be rolling across the state with a different purpose: exporting North American crude to other countries. Reuters reported Thursday that the first known shipments of crude oil were exported through the Buckeye Partners terminal in Perth Amboy. Though the exports originated from North Dakota's Bakken shale region, Reuters reported that Buckeye is preparing to accept trainloads of heavy crude from western Canada. Congress lifted a 40-year ban on oil exports in 2015, and the United States is now exporting as much as 3 million barrels per day.

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 PARTICIPATION: 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.