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Road Warrior Newsletter
 


 

January 25, 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:
• Wage Theft Bill Update; Potential Plastic Bag Ban on the Horizon; Electric Vehicles: What They Mean For Your Business; Protecting Your Small Business From Ransomware Threats; Asbury Park Press: Self -Serve
 

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

• A Brief History of Self-Serve Gas Stations
• Will 2018 Be a More Expensive Year at the Gas Pump?

• Anti-Smoking Plan May Kill Cigarettes -- And Save Big Tobacco
• Reebok Reimagines Gas Stations

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!
• Emissions Inspector Training Class, THURSDAY, February 15th
• Section 8,9 & 10 Re-Certification Class, MONDAY, March 5th; TUESDAY, March 13th, THURSDAY, March 15th, & MONDAY, March 19th

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: GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS!

WAGE THEFT BILL UPDATE
POTENTIAL PLASTIC BAG BAN ON THE HORIZON
ELECTRIC VEHICLES: WHAT THEY MEAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS
PROTECTING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS FROM RANSOMWARE THREATS
ASBURY PARK PRESS: SELF-SERVE

We’re starting off this week with the issue of wage theft due to a surprising bill posted in the Senate Labor Committee hearing called this past Monday, the first of the new session. We learned about it late last week and I testified in support of the legislation. The legislation that was introduced simply raises already existing penalties and does not add any of the burdens that we fought so hard to prevent being signed into law last year. I felt it was a good idea to show the Committee good faith since it is deservedly difficult to defend dishonest employers and those who purposefully cheat their employees. We of course want to prevent wage theft, but we also want to prevent overly burdensome and punitive penalties against honest employers. We do not want dishonest employers to gain any advantages over honest employers. I still fear that the more horrendous version of this legislation will pop up, but the fact that we showed support through our testimony for efforts to stop actual dishonest employers should give us greater credibility. Please follow as we report more on this issue as it moves forward.
 
For those of you who own convenience stores, the plastic bag issue popped up again this week. Efforts will be made to either ban them all together, or impose a fee on every bag you issue to a customer. We believe that better recycling efforts will go a long way to solving the environmental issues plastic bags create. There is no need to impose costly regulations on small business owners. To learn more about where this issue is headed, see the below article from the Asbury Park Press:
 
Plastic bag ban: Will Phil Murphy get involved in NJ?
 
From time to time, I speak about the growing acceptance of electric vehicles (EVs) in the motor vehicle industry. Their growth has been somewhat stunted due to the relatively low cost of gasoline and other petroleum-based fuels, however, their popularity seems to be poised for a growth spurt. There are more government efforts underway to provide funding and incentives for the installation of charging stations. There are also plans by the major auto manufacturers to increase production of EVs. Every customer that drives an EV is a customer that will never buy another drop of gas from you. For repair shop owners, it is time to begin marketing to the owners of EVs. These cars will still require maintenance and service, including tires, brakes, and suspension. It may be true that these customers will never need a valve job again, but when electric motor repairs are needed, they should still be profitable for your shops. For you convenience store owners, you should look at this as a big opportunity. EV owners will need places to park and charge their vehicles, with charging time anywhere between 10-30 mins. Not only will these customers need to purchase your electricity, but I imagine that while they are waiting, they will need a cup of coffee and a sandwich. Look for me to start sharing more information on this subject in 2018.
 
I want to discuss a subject that is extremely distasteful, but affects every single business in today's world of computers and technology. That is the subject of malware and ransomware. You all have sales and expense data filed on your computers, as well as customer repair history and information. It is becoming more prevalent for hackers to be able to gain access to your files and plant bugs in your computer, blocking your access unless you pay them a ransom. We have had members report as little as $500 ransom, to as much as $20,000 in ransom. It is vitally important that you have a good IT consultant protect your computers to avoid being infected. The difficult part of this warning is that even if you are well protected and have multiple layers of security on your computers, you are still only about 90% protected. Hackers are constantly inventing new ways to get around security. Think of the highly publicized breaches that you hear about in both government agencies and financial institutions such as Equifax. These are entities that have layers upon layers of security, and still they have experienced a data breach. Recently, the staff here at NJGCA participated in a number of seminars and webinars to keep us alert of this growing problem. I’m bringing this to your attention right now, and hopefully will be able to provide you with some technical assistance to minimize your exposure. For now, I’m simply trying to raise your level of concern. Please call the office so we can share some of the internet security experts that we have come across with you. Don’t ignore this issue thinking it can’t happen to you! It can and sooner or later it will.
 
For more information on ransomware and how this may affect your business, see the below article:

Ransom Ware Threatens Marketers

Finally I want to close by bringing your attention to an article published in the Asbury Park Press. The paper actually gave me a forum to express our views on self-serve gasoline. This is the second paper that has given a fair account of the subject in their reporting.  You can read the article here:
 
Q&A: RISALVATO: To pump or not pump your own gas?

 

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, February 15th -- 7am to 3pm

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, February 15 from 7:00am to 3:00pm. Cost $275.
Click HERE for the registration form.


ETEP Re- Certification Class: Sections 8,9 & 10
Section 8: Monday, March 5th
Section 9: Tuesday March 13th & Thursday March 15th
Section 10: Monday, March 19th
2:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Do you have an emission repair technician that needs re-certification? We are offering sections 8-10 classes this march! This four day class meets NJ DEP's requirements for re-certification. Member rate: $675 & Non-Member rate: $795 Call our office if you need more information. 
Click HERE for the registration form.

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 aproved 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

1/24/18
A Brief History of Self-Serve Gas Stations
Given the recent changes in the law in Oregon, this report digs deeper into the history of self-serve gas around the country. The practice goes back as far as 1905, when motorists could get gas at “filling stations.” 

 
1/23/18
Will 2018 Be a More Expensive Year at the Gas Pump?
Monday, January 22nd marks the second week in a row that the price of gas has held steady at $2.54, only a one-cent increase from the previous week. Nonetheless, AAA pointed out that week-over-week, gas prices increased for 41 states with Florida seeing the largest jump in pump price with a nine-cent uptick. “For consumers, the questions is how high are gas prices going to go in 2018,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “Since 2014, gas prices decreased as much as 20 cents in the first three weeks of the year. This year, gas prices are five cents more than on Jan. 1 of this year, a possible indication that prices in 2018 will likely be more expensive than last year.”
 

1/19/18
Anti-smoking plan may kill cigarettes--and save Big Tobacco
A recent proposal from the Food and Drug Administration hopes to cut nicotine levels in cigarettes and promote “reduced-risk” products. This would increase the longevity of the industry and allow for more cigarette-alternative products to be developed. 
 
1/18/18:
Reebok Reimagines Gas Stations
Fitness brand Reebok and design firm Gensler have partnered in a new “Get Pumped” campaign to reimagine gas stations as fitness hubs, where people “can prioritize their mental and physical wellness. The goal is a country where a gym and restaurant are no more than a few miles away.” 
                                                                                                                                                                                          
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. 
                                                                                                                                     
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.