October 4, 2013

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! 

MINIMUM WAGE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
COMPLYING WITH OBAMACARE & THE NJ SAFE ACT
NEW MBP OFFERING GREAT TRAINING CLASS FOR BUSINESSES
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OVER-STEPPING THEIR BOUNDS
LOOK FOR YOUR OTR NEWSLETTER IN THE MAIL
NJGCA PAC FUNDRAISER

October is here, and we are rapidly approaching the November 5th election. A critical issue on the ballot this year is a constitutional amendment to increase the minimum wage. I want to address this issue in depth over the course of the next four weeks, so that you will truly understand the gravity of the situation. This week, I will explain the differences between the Legislature passing a law to raise the minimum wage, and voters approving a constitutional amendment to raise the minimum wage. Next week, I'll outline exactly what took place in Trenton over the past two years, and why the minimum wage issue is on the ballot for the voters to decide, instead of being handled by the Legislature.
 
I have talked about this issue many times in the past year, but I fear that none of you (or any of the voters in NJ) truly understands the enormity of amending New Jersey's Constitution to increase the minimum wage. I want you to understand the consequences of raising NJ's minimum wage using a constitutional amendment, as opposed to using the normal Legislative process.
 
The chief function of the Legislature is to enact laws. Legislators introduce proposals to make a new law, or to change or repeal an existing law, and present them to their colleagues in the Legislature as a bill. To become law, a bill must pass both Houses by a majority vote and be approved and signed by the Governor. As you can see, if the minimum wage were to be increased using this method, future Legislatures would have the opportunity to amend or repeal the law if economic conditions changed, or if a majority of Legislators deemed that the current law was bad public policy.
 
Increasing the minimum wage by changing the Constitution does not allow future legislators the same opportunity to amend or repeal. If voters approve a constitutional amendment, there is no Legislator or Governor in the State of New Jersey, now or in the future, that can change the amendment.  If the Constitutional Amendment passes in October, the only way it can ever be reversed is by another ballot vote by the citizens of NJ. Again, what makes this so enormous is that this IS NOT the same as the Legislature passing a law, and the Governor signing it.  A law passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor can be amended or repealed in exactly the same fashion. A change to the Constitution requires a much more involved process.
 
Now that you understand the possible consequences of allowing New Jersey's minimum wage to be amended through a Constitutional Amendment, in next week's Road Warrior we will discuss exactly what happened in Trenton to take this decision away from the legislators and the Governor, and put it on the ballot.
 
Next I have a short message about the government shutdown, and a few quick announcements. 
 
In terms of the government shutdown, I encourage everyone to remain informed and follow the dominoes. We do not know where this is going, how long it will last, or any/all of the effects of the government shutdown, so we don't know how this will impact the economy -- especially the part of the economy that the market uses to determine the price of crude oil. If the government shutdown is deemed to have a serious economic impact (in either the short or the long-term), that will put downward pressure on the price of oil and gasoline. If speculators and the financial markets are not nervous about this shutdown, then there won't be any downward pressure -- I don't think that there will be any upward pressure -- but there certainly won't be any downward pressure. We'll just have to wait and see.
 
Second, I hope that by now you have all conformed with the ObamaCare regulations that we wrote about two weeks ago. All employers were required, by October 1, 2013, to provide all of your employees a notice about the existence of the new Health Insurance Exchange (aka Marketplace). The Department of Labor has provided two model notices; one for employers that presently offer health coverage, and another for employers that don't offer health coverage.  Both model notices can be found on the NJGCA website:
 
• Employers who DO NOT offer coverage, please click here
• Employers who DO offer coverage, please follow this link
 
PLEASE PROVIDE THIS NOTICE TO YOUR EMPLOYEES, IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY.
 
Another message to employers pertains to the NJ SAFE Act (the New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act). This Act went into effect on October 1, 2013 and provides 20 days of protected leave for an employee who was the victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, or whose family member was the victim, as long as the leave is taken within one year of the incident. The law applies to public and private employers who employ 25 or more workers. All employers covered under the NJ SAFE Act must conspicuously post a notice in their workplace advising their employees of the provisions of the law. A copy of the notice is available by clicking here.  
 
Also, NJGCA just signed up a new MBP, Automotive Training Institute, and they are offering a great deal on one of their courses.  Taking place October 22, 2013 in Toms River, NJGCA members receive a special price, just $147.00 (as opposed to $347.00) for a program that will teach you how to get the most out of your business. Please click HERE to access the registration form and full details about the class. For more information on this class, and how it can help your business, contact Debbie Hill, at 973-376-0066 or debbie@njgca.org.
 
Recently, I made mention about efforts in Teaneck to pass an ordinance that would require all gas stations to install a backup generator. So far we have kept this from happening however, it is not completely dead. I am working on presenting more evidence to the Mayor so that he will finally pull the plug on this very bad idea.
 
But this episode has left me worried about the other 565 municipalities in New Jersey.  Last week, I mentioned that I was in Ocean City, Maryland attending the annual meeting of the Service Station Dealers of America (SSDA). There I met with my counterparts that head sister associations of NJGCA in 7 other states. I was dismayed to learn that they too were finding a phenomenon of municipalities trying to pass laws that normally were under the state legislature’s purview. It seems that local politicians everywhere are trying to get in the act with all sorts of dumb laws. We plan to meet again soon to discuss this phenomenon in more detail and try to figure out a way to combat this.
 
Next week you should be receiving your quarterly On The Road Newsletter.  PLEEEEEEASE find some time to read and digest the contents.  It is our annual Voter Guide edition and the staff here puts an incredible amount of work in to this.  It is really important for you to read and understand it all. Ask questions if you have them, but please read it and then VOTE!

Finally, it thrills me to mention that we had an absolutely fabulous fundraiser on Wednesday at Thunder Mountain Skeet and Trap. It was great to get out of the office, enjoy a delicious BBQ, and interact with my members in a more relaxed setting. We are grateful to all members who have supported the NJGCA PAC, and we encourage you get involved however you can. Without your active participation in the PAC, it is impossible for NJGCA to address all of the pressing issues impacting your business in Trenton. Help us support you and your business by donating to the NJGCA PAC today!  Even small dollar fundraisers are helpful at this time of year because it seems that I am attending political events that require a contribution to our friends in the legislature about 3-4 nights every week.  We plan to organize more of these type of events and hope that you will contribute and participate.

Here are a few pictures of the event:

A group of fundraiser attendees gathered on the range

 
All eyes trained on the action


take your best shot!

Thanks for reading -- See you next week!

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

CLASSIFIEDS!

Member looking to lease a new location IMMEDIATELY!!

NJGCA member has an immediate need to move his prospering business.  He just found out the building he is in has been sold, and he needs a new location.   Do you have a repair shop (with or without gas) that you are looking to lease?

If you own a business in one of these towns or the surrounding area: Wayne, Morristown, Boonton, Fairfield, Montville, Pinebrook, Hanover, Livingston, Florham Park, Rockaway or Butler -- and you are looking to lease your location -- we have a member that is interested!!

Member looking to rent out a portion of his location!!

Successful Exxon station in Lincroft looking to get out of the repair business.  Building consists of 3 bays, front office, storage, bathrooms, etc.

If you are interested in moving, starting your repair business at this location, or converting this space into a convenience store, we have a member that is interested!!

Please contact Debbie Hill at debbie@njgca.org or 973-376-0066 with any inquiries, questions, or for more information about either of these sites.   

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!

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

10/03/2013:
Opinion: Take your hands off the N.J. Constitution
This opinion piece is written by an emeritus professor of political science at Seton Hall University, and the author of "The Process of Constitutional Revision in New Jersey, 1940-47." It is an extremely relevant article that further articulates NJGCA's position that the Constitution of the State of New Jersey should not be amended to accomplish something which is the duty of the Legislative branch of government. Professor Connors speaks briefly about the sacredness and the history of the NJ Constitution, and then outlines a number of reasons about why this approach to raising the minimum wage will likely do more harm than good to our state and our economy in the future.  To read all of the arguments, please click on the above link.
 
10/02/2013:
GM Gets New Partner For Fuel-Cell Vehicle Research: U.S. Army
General Motors announced that it plans to expand its collaboration with the US Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) to develop hydrogen fuel-cell technology. The "cooperative research and development agreement" will focus on testing the durability and performance of fuel-cell materials, the company said in a statement. The partnership will last up to five years. GM is building a new fuel-cell development facility in Pontiac, Michigan -- about 20 miles from TARDEC's newly-opened fuel-cell research laboratory in Warren. For more information about other automotive manufacturers' partnerships and the newest innovations and alternative technology being pursued, please read the above article.  
 
10/01/2013:
'Our clients are just regrettably confused' adviser says of Obamacare
The online marketplace, the consumer's first glimpse at Obamacare, was officially rolled out on Tuesday, and immediately plagued by technical glitches, confusion and server issues. Government officials have warned for weeks that technical glitches would likely accompany the rollout of the online health care exchanges, and many consultants and advisors have just begun their jobs of attempting to ease confusion among their clients. To read more about the Affordable Care Act and the next phases of its implementation, please follow the above link and read the other articles posted on NJBIZ.
 
09/30/2013:
Vote 'no' on minimum-wage hike
Thomas Bracken,  president and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, recently penned an op-ed outlining how the proposed minimum wage increase on the ballot this November would be harmful to businesses in the State of New Jersey. Bracken speaks directly to the issue that we discussed in the Road Warrior, specifically, that the Chamber of Commerce opposes, "using the state constitution to institutionalize private-sector fiscal decisions." This amendment would permanently take any and all minimum wage conversations out of the hands of future administrations, legislators, and employers. Annual raises would be automatically granted without considering whether the economy is strong or weak, or whether the market warrants the increases. As you can see, this is a dangerous proposal. To read more about the proposed minimum wage increase on the November ballot, please click the above link.

TRAINING CLASSES!!
-ALL CLASSES WILL BE HELD AT NJGCA HEADQUARTERS-
66 Morris Avenue - Springfield, NJ 07081 (Union County)

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE

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.