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July 26, 2013 Here is what you will find in this edition:
JOIN NJGCA ON FACEBOOK -- CLICK HERE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE: GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS!
MOVING FORWARD WITH RIGHT TO REPAIR LEGISLATION Late last week I learned that I would be travelling to Boston, to testify at the Massachusetts Statehouse on Right to Repair. You might ask why am I testifying on Right to Repair in Massachusetts, wasn't that a done deal last year? The answer is Yes and Yes. As I've explained in the past, Massachusetts currently has two Right to Repair laws on the books. One is a ballot initiative that was passed by Massachusetts voters, and one is a law passed by Legislators and signed by the Governor, which represents a compromise between the independent repair industry and the car manufacturers. The motivation that prompted the compromise legislation was caused when car manufacturers pooped in their pants once they realized that voters would likely approve the ballot initiative. Massachusetts has a provision that allows an issue to be put on the November ballot if enough signatures are gathered requesting such. The ballot question contained much tougher provisions and more consumer protections. So the car manufacturers came to the table to negotiate what eventually passed as law. However, the compromise legislation came 29 days too late to remove the ballot question from the November election, and the manufacturers' fears were correct -- the ballot initiative passed with 86% of the vote. Now Massachusetts has TWO Right to Repair laws. One that the citizens voted for, and one that was passed and signed by the Governor. Now Massachusetts faces a dilemma because there are portions of each law that conflict with the other. Ok…so this is how New Jersey and NJGCA get involved. I've mentioned many times over the past two years that this issue was being debated in Massachusetts, and I knew that if it passed in Massachusetts, then it would open the doors for us to finally get it passed in New Jersey. Especially because there was such a wide margin of victory on the ballot initiative because that is a clear signal to politicians that voters really want Right to Repair. You may remember that we were successful several years ago having Right to Repair pass in the NJ Assembly only to stall in the NJ Senate. In January, knowing that the voters passed Right to Repair with 86% of the vote, I intensified my efforts to get Right to Repair in New Jersey. However, as a result of the confusion in Massachusetts, the car manufacturers agreed to devise a nation-wide policy to satisfy independent repair shops by providing the technical information that they have been requesting. They did not want to have me and my counterparts in other states begin passing different laws in each state. They fear the domino effect that I welcome and am hopeful will begin. The prospect of complying with one law in Massachusetts, another in New Jersey, a different one in Maine and many other variations of the law in all of the other states has made the car manufacturers more agreeable to compromise. The coalition representing independent repair shops agreed to give the car manufacturers until July 31, 2013 to present their national policy proposal. However, during the past seven months I have continued to work with legislators in New Jersey to prepare the groundwork, in case a national policy is not reached by the deadline. It's not like I have any confidence in the car manufacturers - they have successfully stalled Right to Repair legislation with a lot of technical misinformation in many legislative bodies in many states over the past 15 years, so I want to be prepared in case they don't keep their word. In fact, I am not shy about bluntly stating to legislators that the car manufacturers are liars. They prey on legislators' lack of technical knowledge in order to obfuscate the facts, knowing that legislators will have no ability to ascertain the truth. Now, Massachusetts is trying to reconcile their two laws into one, which will provide a foundation for a national policy that hopefully manufacturers will adopt, to prevent New Jersey and 48 other states from passing similar laws on their own. However, I am going to repeat, we are ready to act if the car manufacturers fail to keep their word. In fact, Assemblyman Paul Moriarty, chairman of the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee, has recently joined with the bill's original sponsor, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, to introduce a new piece of Right to Repair legislation that closely mirrors what was passed last year in Massachusetts. In all of this, the one important part of the equation is YOU. I was very impressed at the hearing in Massachusetts, to see so many independent repair shop owners come to testify and ask the legislature to pass Right to Repair. I NEED YOU to begin recalling situations where you had to send a customer to the dealer because you were unable to get the technical information necessary to repair their car. I also need you to document any future occurrences with the same set of circumstances. If you send a customer back to the dealer because you can't get the necessary information, you must document the car, the customer, and the date. I may need you sitting by my side when we testify in Trenton so you can tell legislators exactly how this affects you. Though there's a large coalition of Right to Repair supporters in Massachusetts, our sister association, the New England Service Station Auto Repair Association (NESSARA) has chosen to go against the wishes of their members and has opposed Right to Repair. It is puzzling to me why they would do this. Several of their board members testified stating that some independent shop owners have been successful making their own arrangements with car dealers and they don’t want to jeopardize that arrangement. Somehow their position doesn’t make sense. I suspect there is more to their decision than they would like their members to know. I think that something here smells like yesterday’s diapers. Several years ago, I wrote a letter to the Massachusetts legislature supporting efforts to pass Right to Repair. That got the leadership of NESSARA all twisted. Frankly I don’t care. My interests are for NJGCA members and motorists here in New Jersey. I was pleased to see so many shop owners come out to oppose their association’s position. They should skin alive the leaders of their association, as I am sure that you would do to me if I opposed your interests. ATTENTION: PIF AND ERF FACILITIES: You received a VID message from NJMVC regarding the Emission Repair Technician Certification Contractor changing from ASE to Worldwide Environmental Products (WEP). 1). What does this mean to you? ASE had the contract with the State of New Jersey to house all of the credentials for New Jersey’s Emission Repair Technicians. ASE in Virginia “warehoused” Emission Repair Technician (ERT) Credentials. Anytime an ERT completed training requirements the results were sent to ASE in Virginia. It did not matter if the (ERT) took the ASE route or the Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP) training; all educators were responsible for providing your testing results to ASE. Effective July 24, 2013: “Warehousing” of credentials has changed to Worldwide Environmental Products (WEP). Now All Training Providers will still have the same obligation to WEP rather than ASE.
How will this affect you? WEP will be rolling out a website which you will have access to, but that part of the program is not ready to go live yet. Eventually the website will have a section for the training providers to upload your test results immediately. If I am an Emission Repair Technician, what else is happening that will affect my license? NJDEP is meeting with Training Providers in New Jersey to review new training requirements for Emission Repair Technicians. NJDEP’s plan is to implement new requirements in 2014. NJGCA will be participating with NJDEP and other providers in New Jersey to discuss the upcoming program. Will NJGCA continue to help me with all of my training needs?
NJGCA will continue training programs which will benefit all PIF’s and ERF’s in New Jersey. NJGCA will continue to offer our members outstanding service; whether helping them achieve their goal to become a PIF, ERT, ERT or to keep their licenses up to date. We our proud of our success helping you!! Finally, two important reminders for PIFs: CATALYTIC CONVERTERS: Make sure you are doing your inspections properly and thoroughly, INCLUDING taking pictures. The sting cars are out there, and a majority of the hearings that Debbie does down in Trenton come as a result of PIFs failing to check under the car to inspect the cat converter. DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE!! PARSONS COMMUNICATIONS PACKAGE: The deadline to send in your completed packet is July 31, 2013. CLICK HERE to find the correct forms to fill out.
Final-final-final note, this was my first experience lobbying a legislature in another state and I was quite impressed with the historic Massachusetts State House. I used my cell phone to snap a few pictures.
Thanks for reading – See you next week!
Regards,
BUSINESS FOR SALE!
Do you have a business for sale? Are you looking for a new location or opportunity? 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!
CLASSIFIEDS: FOR SALE & HELP WANTED! After running an ad in the Road Warrior over the last months, NJGCA was able to assist a member in selling his equipment! If you'd like to list equipment for sale, or have an open position you'd like to make other industry professionals aware of, please contact NJGCA at 973-376-0066 and let us help you get the word out!
NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW
07/24/2013:
TRAINING CLASSES!!
PLEASE NOTE: FUTURE DATES WILL BE ADDED UPON REQUEST AND ACCORDING TO DEMAND. CONTACT DEBBIE at 973-376-0066 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!!
MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE
TMP Energy Solutions 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.
POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
DEFENDING OUR MEMBERS.
Promoting our agenda in Trenton is of utmost importance to NJGCA and our members.
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: 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.
THE MEMBER TOOL BOX
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