May 27, 2011

Dear NJGCA Member:

Here's what you'll find in this edition of the NJGCA Road Warrior, and thank you for reading:

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE: GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS!
•Memorial Day, Expert Credibility, and Funding Education

NEWS AROUND THE STATE
•After Supreme Court ruling, state must come up with additional $500 million
•Road Safety: State motorists are among least informed on road rules
•Bargaining Table: Governor, unions begin negotiations over health benefits
•State will withdraw from regional cap-and-trade initiative

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE
•TMP: Residential Energy Solutions now AVAILABLE!! 

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE OR LEASE
•Interested in acquiring or leasing a property?  See below!

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM BELLOMO FUELS
•Serving New Jersey since 1910 -- Over 100 years of supplying gasoline retailers like YOU!

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE
•Interested in a class?! See Below!

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

THE MEMBER TOOL BOX
•On the NJGCA Homepage
•Know your Territory Manager!

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

MEMORIAL DAY, EXPERT CREDIBILITY, AND FUNDING EDUCTION

Honor the fallen dead.  It’s an old expression that many of us pay passing attention to, yet is as old as the nation itself.  Even before Memorial Day was officially enacted as a national holiday, people throughout these United States paid homage to those who have fallen in times of conflict.  Some did this by decorating the graves of soldiers who died in combat, while others did it through prayer, ceremonies and parades. 

It wasn’t until 1868 that Maj. Gen. John Logan, Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, formally decreed that May 30th of every year as a day to decorate the grave sites of fallen soldiers that our modern Memorial Day tradition was born.  Since that time, we pause each year to pay our respects to the over 1 million men and women who wore our nation’s uniform and paid the ultimate price to protect our freedoms. 

I hope that even as you gather with family and friends to enjoy your weekend festivities, you’ll reflect on how significant this holiday truly is.  Take a moment, silence your mind, and in solemn gratitude say a prayer for all those Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, and Reservists who sacrificed themselves so that you could own a business, raise a family, and live out the American Dream.

Credibility is a funny thing.  For some, it stems from years of experience, knowledge, and study.  For others, its foundations are based on belief, perception, and appearances.  Nowhere is this truer than in reporting.  Whether it’s an article in the paper or a segment on the news, they all have an air of credibility that we depend on for information or to just understand what makes the world go round.  Yet, have you ever wondered how reliable that information is?  And how credible are those who we turn to for important insight and information?

For the last two weeks, I’ve been fortunate enough to have appeared twice on the Fox Business Network to participate on the Follow The Money program, which is hosted by former Wall Street trader, Eric Bolling.  Since my mobility is very limited due to my continuing health issues, Fox was kind enough to not only send a car to pick me up from my home, but also provide me with a wheelchair and someone to push me around.

I was asked to come on the program after a March debate on My9 News with Bolling, in which we went head to head over the accusation of retailers gouging the public.  You can see that broadcast by clicking HERE

The folks at Fox Business invited me on this month to express my thoughts and opinions on two topics.  The first was on the May 16th in which I again debated Bolling on the issue of gouging, and more recently this Tuesday, May 24th, in which I participated in a panel discussion on ethanol and alternative energy.  You can see both segments by clicking HERE and HERE respectively.

In both instances, however, each experience actually revealed that a well known, well respected business host illustrated a lack of understanding on a few of these important issues.  I may go as far as to say that Bolling, while very knowledgeable on the market and a very personable fellow, didn’t have a clue as to how some of these issues affect you or the consumer.

What proof is there?  The first time I was on his program, he states that refiners are making 60 cents a gallon profit on refined product, yet confuses their margin with yours.  Later he says that you’re gouging the public when the price drops at the rack, but doesn’t drop on the street.  In each instance he misses how the industry works, not recognizing how you are squeezed as the prices rises and make up for that as prices drop. 

What’s more, he says he knows the industry and spent time with dealers at backyard barbeques at their million-dollar homes.  I’m uncertain what small business dealers out there have million dollar homes, but I know they aren’t our members.  I think he’s confusing refiners or perhaps mega-distributors with retail dealers.  Or maybe his Wall Street friends have side businesses selling fuel at retail locations in addition to their big market portfolios.  Regardless, the ‘average retailer’ he’s talking about doesn’t exist and his assertions are obviously not accurate.

However, it doesn’t end there.  In my second appearance during the ethanol panel discussion, he retorts to one of my comments by dismissing my concerns and stating that oil is a ‘renewable’ resource and that the earth is ‘producing’ more oil.  I’m not sure where he got this from but it’s entirely inaccurate.  He calls oil a fossil fuel, which it is, but the Earth doesn’t just produce more oil overnight.  It literally takes millions of years of heat, pressure, and a lot of organic material to create petroleum.  While he’s correct in that there will be a ‘new’ batch of it, I'm pretty confident that we won’t personally be around in a few million years when the next batch is ready.

This brings me back to the issue of credibility and depending on the information you get from the press and greater news media.  Eric Bolling is an incredibly smart man and very accomplished.  However, being a Wall Street trader doesn’t make you an expert at everything.  Just as he knows about some market aspects that I lack personal knowledge on, the issues I’ve outlined above are topics he just isn’t well versed on.  Yet, to the millions of people who watch Bolling – or the millions more who listen to experts like him or read ‘fair and balanced’ articles in the press – the impact is utterly damaging. 

Put another way, you shouldn’t believe everything you see on TV (or read in the paper) – and this is just another example of that.  Yet, it also illustrates the heart of the problem in getting our message out there and defending you from the pundits who would label you as cheats or scoundrels.  When you’re up against well known, well recognized people in the media, they will always have a larger pulpit than the rest of us.  That makes getting our response to such mischaracterizations that much more important. 

On a related topic, please note my remarks during the ethanol debate regarding how I characterize you – and how you should characterize yourself.  You aren’t in the gasoline business anymore.  Just as I stated on television, you are in the transportation/energy business.  You and all retailers provide a service that millions of Americans depend upon to live their lives.  And just as in any service oriented business, things are constantly evolving.  That means we all must start exploring other alternatives since the economics of this industry are changing.  Like we’ve stated many times before, that means one day you will have to consider selling electricity, hydrogen, E85, and other alternative energies as motorists purchase different types of vehicles.  As your customers start to use them, it will present opportunities for you to sell different products more profitably. 

Education – and education reform – is an important issue that I have been harping about for some time now. Like many of you, I know the value in a good, quality education and recognize that many times, our public school system doesn’t deliver on its intended promise to properly educate our children.  How does this relate to you?  As I’ve said previously in other communications, the state’s solution to fix our education system has been to throw more and more money at the problem.  However, this neither serves the students who are robbed of their education or taxpayers like you who continually pay their bills.  As such, it is important that everyone pay particular attention to this topic since it will affect your bottom line at your business and your personal life.

Earlier this week, the New Jersey Supreme Court, in a 3-2 decision, ordered the Legislature and the Governor to spend an additional $500 million dollars on educating our children.  While that seems incredibly noble (who doesn’t want to ‘help the kids’ after all), the order completely ignores the current economic climate and fiscal crisis facing New Jersey.  The suit was brought by the Education Law Center and other interested groups which want to see the state fully-fund public education in the state’s 31 Abbott districts, which already receive billions in education dollars from Trenton.

Think about this and how it affects you.  What the court – and proponents – essentially are saying is that the state must raise taxes in order to fund these programs at a time that we can’t afford it.  What’s more, one could argue that we never had the money to begin with.  That makes what’s happening out in the court of public perception that much more difficult to swallow.  I’m getting really sick and tired of seeing ads, billboards, and commercials attacking the Governor for not spending more and more money.  More money is not the solution – and it’s never been.  Instead, the NJEA and other interested unions are pushing this issue since any additional funds end up in their pockets….which enables them to run a relentless campaign against the Governor. 

Put another way, these interested parties are using your tax dollars – which they acquire through compulsory union benefits derived from teachers salaries which YOU pay for – to run a campaign which has their best interests (and not the interests of the taxpayer or the children they under serve)  at heart. 

Stated in yet another way, you are footing the bill for a campaign that seeks to raise your taxes and you don’t even know it. 

I’ve been relatively silent on this recent attack campaign, but I’ve had enough of it and so should you.  I encourage you to read up on this most recent decision.  Click HERE to read a recent Star-Ledger article on this topic.  Don’t sit on the sidelines on this one – get involved! 

Thanks for listening - See you next week!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

5/26/2011:
After Supreme Court ruling, state must come up with additional $500 million
A budget shortfall and a $500 million mandate from the New Jersey Supreme Court to spend more on education are among the obstacles lawmakers must overcome in the six weeks remaining before a budget must be enacted.  The order handed down from the Supreme Court not only threatens the Governor’s planned $29.6 billion budget, but a payment to the states faltering pension system and the property tax rebate program.  Legislators must now either raise taxes or cut spending further in order to make up for the shortfall.  Click above to read more on this issue.

5/26/2011:
Road Safety: State motorists are among least informed on road rules
A recent study shows that New Jersey drivers were ranked 48th among the lease knowledgeable motorists.  State motorists were listed ahead of only Maryland, Hawaii and Washington D.C.  Test results may be explained by motorists learning to drive from family members rather than formal training.  Click above to read the full article, then click HERE to read the study and take the test.
 
5/26/2011:
Bargaining Table: Governor, unions begin negotiations over health benefits
Earlier this week, Governor Christie and representatives from the state employee unions began to bargain over health benefits.  Main negotiations are being conducted with the Communications Workers of America, the state’s largest public employee union.  The Governor had remained firm in his proposal that public workers pay 30% of their insurance premiums and is seeking legislation to change the health benefit system.

5/26/2011:
State will withdraw from regional cap-and-trade initiative 
On Thursday, Governor Christie announced that New Jersey would pull out of the northeast Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative aimed at lowering green house gas emissions.  The Governor stated that the program was flawed and the system was not working as intended to lower green house gases.  Many lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have criticized the program for driving up energy costs and being overly burdensome.  Click above to read the full article.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES IN OUR “NEWS AROUND THE STATE” ARCHIVE 

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE: 
TMP Energy Solutions Goes Residential!

NJGCA recently introduced you to a major solution to your energy bill for your business.  Through deregulation, you are given the option to choose your energy supplier. No longer are you locked into getting your electricity from one of New Jersey’s major energy distributors.

TMP Energy Solutions may help your business achieve cost reduction due to the deregulation of electricity generation. We have seen dramatic savings by several members who have taken advantage of this program for their businesses. Now TMP Energy Solutions has gone a step further in offering NJGCA members’ savings on their residential electric rates. Yes, that’s right. You may be able to save on your home’s electric bills too!

Here is what you need to do to verify your residential savings and to signup for TMP’s offering.
1. Have at least one of your latest electricity bills. Two would be great.
2. Call me at 973-376-0066.
3. I will do an online analysis of your bill to verify your savings.
4. If you agree to the Residential offering, we will work with you to complete the application.

TMP Energy has provided a residential energy supplier, Champion Energy, to offer NJGCA members the option to purchase their electricity for their home. The term of the Residential Agreement contract is for 12 months at the electric rate on the day your contract is signed. If you decide to end the contract, there is an early termination fee of $10 per month remaining in the contract.

NJGCA now provides you another way to save on your bottom line.  Additionally, any residuals dollars NJGCA receives from TMP Energy Solutions will go towards the NJGCA Scholarship Fund. You save and NJGCA funds the scholarship program for member children going onto institutions of higher learning. Let’s hear from you.

Oh, and don’t forget. If you are also interested in saving on your electric and natural gas bills for your business, all you need do is send copies of your last 3 energy bills to me by mail or fax. I’ll do the rest and let you know what your savings might be.
You have so much to gain and nothing to lose.

-Phil Apruzzi, Director of Membership
66 Morris Ave.
Springfield, NJ 07081
Phone: 973-376-0066
Fax: 973-3760766