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Road Warrior Newsletter




January 12, 2017

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:
• Marketplace Changes and a Look to the Future; NJGCA Events - Breakfast Meeting Thursday 1/19 in Wayne, UST Compliance and Enforcement Training on Thursday 1/26; 2017 Compliance Calendars Available Online

NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS

- NJGCA MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER GILL ENERGY LOOKING TO HIRE FOR (3) DIFFERENT POSITIONS

District Manager
Store Manager
Trucking Operations Manager

For more information, and to submit a resume, please contact: ravigill@gillenergy.com.

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

• Jersey City gas station robbed at gunpoint, police say
• Gas prices are surging in N.J., and the worst may be still to come
• Tobacco Company Money and Influence Crushes Tax Increases

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!
• 1/2 Day NJDEP Compliance & Enforcement Class - Jan. 26

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD
• ATS Environmental: Confidence in your Tank & Compliance Testing
• Bellomo Fuel: Exceptional Service, Aggressive Petroleum Marketing
• Gill Energy: Getting you There!
• 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!

*NEW*Energy Information Agency Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices

JOIN NJGCA ON FACEBOOK -- CLICK HERE

TO SEE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL -- CLICK HERE

                                                                                                                                                                 

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

MARKETPLACE CHANGES...WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
UPCOMING EVENTS: BREAKFAST MEETING THURSDAY 1/19 IN WAYNE, UST COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT TRAINING THURSDAY 1/26
2017 COMPLIANCE CALENDARS AVAILABLE ONLINE

Gas prices have continued a slow but steady rise over the past few months, however I haven’t discussed it in much depth. The increase in gas prices is entirely related to the increase in crude oil prices. In recent months, crude oil has been trading between $50- $55 rather than the $40-$45 range that we had become accustomed to. The increase in prices came as a result of OPEC nations making a deal to limit production. Low crude oil prices worldwide had caused substantial pain to oil-exporting nations, and they were desperate to bring prices back up.  So far, they have been successful in increasing the price per barrel, and therefore the prices at the pump.
 
This past week you may have seen a slight dip in prices, but analysts smarter than I are predicting that prices will go back up and approach $3/gallon again. This may happen, however, my opinion on a long-term price increase differs. My gut says that as prices increase, so will production, of both crude oil and finished refined products. Why? Because producers will not be able to resist the temptation of profits, and will want to take advantage by multiplying the new higher price by more gallons produced. As each producer follows the other in pumping out more product, we will be back in the same situation where there is more product than demand, and prices will fall.  Each producer will blame the other for breaking the agreement, they will have a race to the bottom. So yes, prices may rise, but then look for them to fall again. This is a perfect opportunity for me to utter a phrase that I haven't uttered in a while….”the best remedy for high gas prices is…high gas prices”.
 
Finally, I just have three quick updates:

  1. The 2017 Compliance Calendar is available online HERE.
  2. NJGCA’s first Diner Tour of the year will be on Thursday, January 19 at the Park Wayne Diner in Wayne at 9:30 AM. Come join NJGCA for a free breakfast and to start the year off with a look at what’s to come in 2017. You will also have the opportunity to bring your questions, concerns and suggestions to the table. We really value this 1-on-1 time with our members to make sure that we are serving you in the best way that we can! We hope to see you there! Please RSVP to this email if you plan to attend.
  3. NJGCA is hosting an exclusive training class with NJ DEP to discuss UST Compliance and Enforcement issues.  The class is Thursday, January 26th and will run from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and will include coffee and donuts in the morning and pizza and soda for lunch.  All for just $25 for members, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Peak Environmental!  This is a great opportunity to speak to officials from DEP one-on-one and also take advantage of the representatives and LSRPs from Peak Environmental who can shed additional light on any questions or concerns you may have.  For the registration form and more information about the class, click HERE.

Thanks for reading -- See you all next week!

Sal Risalvato
Executive Director 

                                                                                                                                                         

TRAINING CLASSES!!

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

Exclusive NJGCA Training Class!
1/2 Day UST Training Class Provided by
NJ Department of Environmental Protection

This class will provide information about Newly Proposed UST Regulations and the Underground Storage Tank Inspection Program.

The class is Thursday, January 26 from 9:00 to 2:00 at the NJGCA office, and we will be offering both breakfast and lunch.

It is only $25 for members to attend. For the registration form and more information about the class, click HERE.

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

NJGCA MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER GILL ENERGY LOOKING TO HIRE FOR (3) DIFFERENT POSITIONS!

District Manager
Store Manager
Trucking Operations Manager


For more information about these positions, and to submit a resume for consideration, please contact: ravigill@gillenergy.com.

                                                                                                                                                                        

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW


1/11/2017:
Jersey City gas station robbed at gunpoint, police say
A Garfield Avenue gas station was robbed at gunpoint Tuesday night. At about 9:20 p.m., a 22-year-old employee at the Valero gas station near Caven Point Road said a man wearing a ski mask pointed a gun at him and demanded money, according to a police report.  The victim gave the masked man -- who was only described as being about 6 feet tall -- about $100 in cash, police said. The suspect fled from the gas station on foot wearing a black jacket, the report states. No injuries were reported in the robbery and no arrests have been made. 
 
1/9/2017:
Gas prices are surging in N.J., and the worst may be still to come
Is the other shoe set to drop on gas prices? An expert says a key to slowing the price run-up will be when oil producing nations bail out of an OPEC agreement to cut oil production. It's not “if”, it's “when”, based on the history of past OPEC agreements, experts agree. But that temporary relief may be gone by spring. The state average price of regular hit $2.44 a gallon Friday afternoon, a 14¢ increase in a month, according to GasBuddy.com. On Monday, drivers were greeted with cold temperatures and a price of $2.44 a gallon. "The increase is a reflection of OPEC deciding to cut production by 1.2 million barrels a day," said Dean Siamack Shojai, a global economist and dean of William Paterson University's Cotsakos College of Business. "There are many indications, that as in the past, [OPEC nations] will cheat and keep the market supplied with crude oil." It's likely that other OPEC nations will use the revelation of cheating to increase production and justify their own cheating, he said.
 
1/9/2017:
Tobacco Company Money and Influence Crushes Tax Increases
Voters in 3/4 states rejected tobacco tax hikes on the November ballot, swayed by a general anti-tax mood but also by the tens of millions of dollars tobacco companies spent to influence the outcome. Between 1980 and 2015, voters approved nearly 70% of the 32 tobacco tax hikes that appeared on statewide ballots, according to a non- partisan research group that tracks them. But in November, voters in North Dakota, Missouri and Colorado defeated measures that would have increased taxes by as little as 23¢ per pack, up to $1.76 per pack of cigarettes. In all three states, opponents of the initiative dramatically outspent supporters. The exception was California, where voters approved an increase of $2 a pack, bringing the total to $2.87 per pack. In that state, tax backers did not spend as much money as opponents, although they spent enough to compete. Opponents ponied up at least $93 million to defeat the measures in California, Colorado and North Dakota, likely breaking all records, according to Ballotpedia. The total does not count Missouri, where the strange structure of two competing ballot measures split contributions.

                                                                                                                                                                  

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. 

                                                                                                                                     

*NEW*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 for reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.