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July 12, 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:

• "Operation Summer Octane;" A/B Operator Practice Test Site Down; Minimum Wage: Gearing Up For Battle; Local Ordinances May Be Harming Your Business; U.S. Senate Candidate Bob Hugin Visits NJGCA Offices

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
• Cops Looking For Pair Who Swiped ATM From Gas Station
• Gasoline and the Summer of Uncertainty
• ‘We Don’t Accept Cash’ — How NJ Could Fight The No-Cash Trend
• Make Way for On-Demand Gasoline
• Starbucks Is Eliminating Plastic Straws From All Stores
• N.J. Tax Hikes Hit Residents And Businesses Who Already Pay Some Of The Nation's Steepest Levies | Opinion
• Pruitt Resigns, Wheeler To Become Acting Administrator Of The EPA

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!
??????• Emissions Inspector Training Class, THURSDAY, August 9th, WEDNESDAY September 19th, THURSDAY October 18th

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:

“OPERATION SUMMER OCTANE”
A/B OPERATOR PRACTICE TEST SITE DOWN
MINIMUM WAGE: GEARING UP FOR BATTLE
LOCAL ORDINANCES MAY BE HARMING YOUR BUSINESS
U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE BOB HUGIN VISITS NJGCA OFFICES

I received notification last week that the Department of Consumer Affairs with the help of the Office of Weights and Measures conducted a two week task force to check compliance at almost 400 gas stations across the State. This coincides with the tenth anniversary of a similar effort in 2008 by former Attorney General Anne Milgram. Unlike the Milgram effort from ten years ago, this task force was neither a show nor a fraud. I still need to discuss the findings of the task force, because even though there were almost 400 inspections included, there were two infractions that I consider serious. An infraction is serious when the consumer is actually being cheated. NJGCA has a zero-tolerance policy for any practice that cheats the consumer and leaves a black mark on our honest members. Although Weights and Measures found many stupid infractions that should be remedied, such as missing pump toppers or improper and/or malfunctioning LED displays; they also found two instances of locations selling premium-grade gasoline below octane. Selling regular-grade gasoline as premium is cheating the motorist. Below octane selling can be the result of several things, one is a delivery from the refinery that is “defective,” which is highly unlikely, or, lower octane regular-grade was dumped into the premium UST. Unfortunately, there are dishonest retailers who are tempted to do this as it results in about 50¢ a gallon in extra profit. Although I did not turn in the two locations that were discovered in this most recent task force, I have in the past and will do so again in the future turn in anyone that I learn is being dishonest to the motorists in this fashion. Yes, I will turn in an NJGCA member. The reason for this is very simple, if you are engaging in this practice, you are not only cheating motorists, but you are also cheating honest retailers who are trying to compete with you. Competition in the gasoline marketplace is fierce and fatal for those who are unable to compete. Such a large advantage, which is fraudulently obtained, cannot and will not be tolerated. Believe it or not, the best eyes and ears I have in these situations are you, the honest member who learns of fraudulent activity at a competitor’s location. I will never act on hearsay, but will seek out accurate information sufficient enough to alert the authorities. I have, in fact, sent a letter to all county Weights and Measures superintendents back in 2016, requesting that octane inspections be performed while they are conducting annual meter tolerance tests. I know of one county that has been very successful finding octane cheats. Thankfully, I have not seen any NJGCA members on their list of scoundrels, however, unfortunately, I have noticed several former members. This of course helps me maintain my belief that NJGCA members are a cut above those who are non-members. If I’m a dishonest retailer, I would not want to belong to NJGCA either. You can read the press release that I sent responding to the state’s efforts by clicking here.

Several weeks ago, we notified those of you who would be preparing to take the A/B operator tests that there is a practice test that can be taken on a website hosted by the EPA. Many of you have reported to us how helpful this practice test has been, and we are pleased that you are taking advantage of this. However, we learned two days ago that the website is malfunctioning and cannot be accessed. Debbie has spent the past two days trying to resolve this, and has learned that the EPA was unaware that their site was down. The EPA have assured us they are working to remedy the situation. Hopefully I will be able to notify you next week that the site is back up and you can resume taking the practice tests.

Now that the budget struggle is over (until next year), we expect the battle to raise the minimum wage will resume. Although not a surprise, Governor Murphy gave a speech to a convention of union members in Atlantic City and received tremendous applause when he stated that “$15 per hour minimum wage will be passed by the end of 2018.” Our boxing gloves are on!

On another note, we were informed by a member who just happened to see on Facebook that his town's mayor and council were set to vote to approve an ordinance that would have banned his convenience store from selling e-cigarettes. He notified me over the weekend and since we only had two days to act, we formulated a plan that he executed flawlessly on his end, coupled with a letter from me in order to avert this travesty. The ordinance was pulled from the Montvale town council agenda Tuesday night. Although I am relatively confident that our member will be protected in Montvale, I am very fearful other towns may take similar action. I have to remind you that I have absolutely no way of knowing when your town is considering passing harmful ordinances such as this. It is up to you to know what is happening in your municipality and alert me quickly. Once a local ordinance is passed, it is extremely difficult to have it reversed. You need to monitor the agenda (that is why there is public notice for every council meeting) to determine if there are any harmful ordinances to your business. The best action with local governments is usually from you, the local taxpayer. NJGCA is always happy to assist.

Bob Hugin’s staff had asked to meet with me to go over issues In Washington that are important to our members. I received a pleasant surprise when they contacted me that Bob’s schedule would allow him to attend the meeting himself. We had a very productive meeting last week. See below for a photo he took with me and our staff, as well as Vice President Joe Ocello, who also sat in on the meeting.

L to R: Associate Director of Government Affairs Eric Blomgren, Board Vice President Joe Ocello, U.S. Senate Candidate Bob Hugin; Executive Director Sal Risalvato; Communications Director Michelle Horowitz; Membership Director Greg Cannon

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, 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, August 9th from 7:00am to 3:00pm.
Cost is $275 for members.
Click HERE for the August registration form, HERE for September and HERE for October.

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

7/11/18
Cops Looking For Pair Who Swiped ATM From Gas Station
Police in South Brunswick are asking for the public's help as they try to find two men who stole an ATM from a gas station on early Saturday morning. The thieves broke into the lobby of a Raceway on Route 1 at 2:38 a.m. and loaded the cash machine into a van, police said in a statement.

7/10/18
Gasoline and the Summer of Uncertainty
The Energy Information Administration recently declared that the annual high for U.S. retail gasoline prices was in, with the national average for all formulations of regular grade topping the attention grabbing $3 gallon barrier on Memorial Day at $3.039. The analysis aligns with this columnist’s opinion a month earlier that the gasoline futures market, which trades on the New York Mercantile Exchange, peaked in 2018 on May 22 at $2.2855 gallon.There’s sound reasoning in these views, supported by the required switch in fuel specifications to the year’s lowest Reid vapor pressure ratings that are more expensive to manufacture, the spring refinery maintenance season that reduces run rates and product yield, and increased driving demand during the summer months. And then there’s speculation. The seasonal features for gasoline are well known, and speculators pile in on the trade, outrunning the fundamentals that frequently lead to an annual high just ahead of summer.

7/9/18
‘We Don’t Accept Cash’ — How NJ Could Fight The No-Cash Trend
Under the measure sponsored by Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester), chair of the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee, retailers who prohibit buyers from paying with cash would be subject to a fine of up to $2,500 for an initial violation. The fines could jump up to $20,000 after numerous violations. "I think that it would be good to have something on the books to make sure that people that show up at a retail establishment with legal U.S. tender are able to use it," Moriarty said during a committee hearing on the measure. The bill was passed by the full Assembly and referred to a Senate committee in late June. The measure would not apply to transactions made online or through the mail.

7/9/18
Make Way for On-Demand Gasoline
Yoshi, a gasoline provider in Silicon Valley, is delivering fuel directly to individual cars and fleets in 14 cities, according to The Outline, an online news publication. Drivers in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Nashville, the Raleigh/Durham area, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, St. Louis, Tampa Bay and Warren, Michigan, can get their vehicles refueled at their home or workplace by a gasoline-carrying delivery truck. Yoshi expects to be serving 25 cities by year-end. Customers pay $5 for the service, in addition to the cost of fuel. For additional fees, the company also can provide oil changes, car washes and anything else the auto needs right at the customer’s location.

7/9/18
Starbucks Is Eliminating Plastic Straws From All Stores
The coffee company announced Monday that it will phase out plastic straws from all of its stores by 2020. The changes will help Starbucks (SBUX) eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws per year, the company said. Plastic straws contribute to ocean pollution and pose a danger to marine life. Some governments have begun banning them. To eliminate straws, Starbucks is transitioning from the flat, plastic lids that require them, to ones that feature a raised lip you can drink from. The new designs have drawn comparisons to an adult "sippy cup." Frappuccino drinks will still be served with dome lids, but with straws made from paper or compostable plastic. Coffee drinkers who prefer straws for other beverages can request the new eco-friendly versions.

7/6/18
N.J. Tax Hikes Hit Residents And Businesses Who Already Pay Some Of The Nation's Steepest Levies | Opinion
New Jersey faced a government shutdown late last week when its governor, Democrat Phil Murphy, squabbled with leaders of his own party in the Legislature over whose taxes to raise — those of businesses or those of wealthy individuals. In the end, officials compromised and raised taxes on both. The tax burden will increase by about $440 million in a state where residents and businesses already pay some of the nation’s steepest levies. Even before the new, more expensive budget passed, businesses said that they were reluctant to expand in New Jersey, and surveys show that New Jersey’s residents leave the state in greater numbers than citizens of most other places. Among those exiting in droves are the state’s young people, and it’s difficult to see how placing more burdens on the state’s economy will help stem that outflow.

7/5/18
Pruitt Resigns, Wheeler To Become Acting Administrator Of The EPA
On July 5, President Trump announced the resignation of Scott Pruitt as the administrator of the U.S. EPA. Deputy Administrator Andrew Wheeler is set to assume the role of acting administrator of the EPA on July 9. . .Pruitt’s resignation occurred amid a cloud of ethics scandals. He has been criticized by the biofuels industry for his mismanagement of the Renewable Fuel Standard, including the misuse of RFS small refiner hardship waivers.

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.