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June 15, 2012 Here's what you'll find in this edition: NEWS AROUND THE STATE APPRAISAL SERVICES TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE MEET THE FOLKS AT LIBERTY GAS MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM BELLOMO FUELS POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE: GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS! PRICE CHANGES MORE THAN ONCE IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD... DON’T DO IT…..I WILL TURN YOU IN! STAKEHOLDER MEETING, CNG WORKSHOP, AND STATE BUDGET TIME It seems that although many of you are smart enough to maintain a better margin while the price of gas drops, there are still a lot of dummies out there that just can’t stand to make a profit. If you fit this category let me say this plain and clear; you are whores! STOP IT! You seem enthralled by just beating your competition in a gallons game. Try beating him in a profits game! Grow some brains! It also seems as if you have become the best agents for Weights and Measures. The whores that can’t wait to run out to the price sign and lower the price multiple times in a 24 hour period are being turned in by their neighbors…And when it is reported to me first….I can’t dial the phone fast enough! Let me remind you that it is a violation to change your price more than once in a 24 hour period even if you are lowering it. Is there anyone that doesn’t understand?? If I catch you I will turn you in…Members and Non-members alike. Get my point? If I sound angry…it’s because I am. Enough said. In my life, I’ve had the privilege (and at times, the unfortunate obligation) of serving in various leadership positions; each with their own challenges and opportunities. Part of being in charge isn’t just making “good decisions” or making “the right moves”, but also giving enough thought to plan ahead and anticipate what’s coming. Over the last few years, I’ve made a concerted effort to convince you that considering alternative fuels and related automotive technologies should be part of any NJGCA Members’ long-term strategy. Yeah, I know you’re probably sick and tired of hearing me harp about it, but I do it with good reason. That’s because adopting alternatives in some capacity will allow you to service a whole new segment of patrons, generate fatter profits, and help bring added stability to your establishment. Well, if I had any small, lingering reservations about using my leadership role at NJGCA to drive you toward these opportunities, they evaporated earlier this week when we attended the Stakeholders’ Meeting hosted by our friends at the NJ Clean Cities Coalition (NJCCC). The event focused on alternative transportation fuels and featured business fleet managers, presentations from different alternative-energy groups, exhibitors, consultants, and more. Over 140 people attended – an impressive number, especially considering that the annual meeting began with only 12 participants only a few short years ago! What we saw and heard was very impressive. The presenters made their cases for their respective types of alternative fuels, including electric, propane autogas, compressed natural gas (CNG), biofuels, and more. There were also first hand testimonials from electric car makers, vehicle conversion specialists, and commercial clients who use these vehicles daily! You can take a look at some of the pictures from the event below:
NJCCC President Chuck Feinberg poses with NJGCA Executive Director Sal Risalvato during the Stakeholders' Meeting.
Meeting attendees were able to speak with industry experts, vendors, and exhibitors.
A series alternative fuel vehicles were displayed outside the meeting, including a Toyota Prius, two Chevrolet Volts, a Coda all-electric vehicle, a Ford F-150 pickup powered by Propane Autogas, and a sanitation truck fueled by CNG. Meeting participants were able to see these vehicles up close and have questions answered after the event ended.
This sanitation truck is powered by CNG. Natural gas has become a popular alternative for medium- and heavy-duty vehicle operators since it is both clean burning and inexpensive.
A Coda electric vehicle being shown to a meeeting attendee.
A Ford F-150 powered by Propane Autogas was on display.
NJGCA Staffers attended the meeting (from left to right): Nick De Palma, Eric Blomgren, Debbie Hill, and Greg Cannon. Keep in mind that during the event, one important thing was quietly reinforced: There is no single alternative that is “better” than the other and the future will almost certainly be a patchwork of “what works best” for each individual. Tomorrow’s transportation landscape will embrace electricity, biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel, hydrogen, CNG – and yes – even gasoline. Some of you reading this may think that such claims are nonsense, but when you think about it, it’s really not. While most of us have an emotional attachment to our vehicles, a car is ultimately an appliance. We buy it, use it for it’s purpose, eventually it wears out, and we purchase a new one. Yes, some of us hold onto them longer than others, and some become collectibles that continue to survive under a car-tarp or inside a storage-garage. Yet, for the majority of us, it’s simply a tool. And just like a tool, there’s one for every job. Have you ever opened your tool box and thought, “I only need the hammer – I’ll get rid of everything else”? Did you ever think, “I’ll frame out that wall with some wrenches and a set of pliers”? Of course not! Just as there is a tool for every purpose, there is a vehicle for every set of circumstances. Today we make that distinction in buying a “commuter car” to get to work, a panel van to compliment our businesses, or an SUV or minivan to haul around our families. But in tomorrow’s world, we’ll take things a bit further by figuring out if propulsion created by gasoline, electricity, CNG, propane autogas, et al. is right for our personal needs. In making that decision, tomorrow’s motorists will have to figure out what services their local station owners will provide to address their needs. So if he or she lives a long way from the next CNG filling location, you’re probably not going to want to buy a car powered by propane; and the same would hold true for the other types of technologies. As a small business owner, your livelihood is directly impacted by the needs of your customers. As their habits change, so must yours! Though each presentation was informative and noteworthy, the benefits and immediate impact that CNG will have on the market continues to amaze me. One presenter stated that there are enough known CNG resources in the US alone to serve our needs for the next 120 years. What’s more, CNG is easily adaptable to today’s vehicles, is virtually clean burning, and creates domestic jobs while reducing our dependence on foreign energy. Currently there are plans to create “CNG corridors” throughout the nation to serve a growing number of consumers who are choosing natural gas vehicles (NGV) over traditional gasoline and diesel powered cars. And for good reason: Arguably the biggest benefit of CNG is that it’s a cheap fuel! While gasoline continues to fluctuate between $3.00 - $4.00 (or more) a gallon across the nation, you can get a “gallon” of CNG for less than half that amount, while still make a nice profit. The economic benefit of buying a NGV is obvious: The owner saves money on fueling their vehicle, and over the long-haul, that puts money back in their pockets. This has become so popular that companies operating medium-to-heavy duty fleets (such as dump trucks, garbage trucks, buses, and equipment) are now moving to include light-to-medium duty products (such as CNG versions of commercial pickups and SUVs) for even greater savings! So how can you take advantage of this change in the market? By approaching your commercial customers and asking them about their own plans. Many of them probably have heard of the benefits of purchasing NGVs and fueling them with CNG, but don’t know where to begin or where to go to get them refueled. Others may not have heard about it at all and are need to be educated. In either case, an opportunity exists to help a client reduce their overhead even as you make money! That gives you the opportunity to capture new revenue, even as the as the demand of gasoline continues to fall through the rest of the market – Doesn’t that make sense? Sadly, only ONE NJGCA Member had the forethought and reflection to come hear all of this for himself. I wish that every one of you was there to see it live – but there may still be time and you may get a second chance! That’s because I need you to join NJGCA and our NJCCC allies for the “The Compelling Case for Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV)” workshop on July 12th in East Windsor. That event will take one segment from Tuesday’s meeting – the focus on CNG – and greatly expand upon it. The event will discuss why fleet operators are moving to CNG, how it serves their business needs, and how station owners can help them while making money for themselves! The workshop will be held at the National Conference Center in the Holiday Inn of East Windsor, NJ (399 Monmouth Street, East Windsor, NJ). You can register for the event by visiting http://www.cleanvehicle.org/workshop/Trenton.shtml to sign up! This time of year is always bit stressful in Trenton, as different camps square off to fight over the details of the state budget. Currently the Governor and leaders in both houses of the Legislature are trying to hammer away on a compromise that can get passed before the State Constitutional deadline on June 30th. While some members are fighting to increase taxes, including a proposal in the Assembly to reintroduce a ‘millionaire’s tax’ on businesses and the wealthy, the majority consensus seems to point to some form of an income tax cut. Part of the reason for this is the acknowledgment that the economy is still very fragile and something needs to be done to stimulate investment. But an even larger reason is that the Governor has refused to sign any budget that doesn’t include some kind of an income tax cut – and he’s standing firm on the threat. Some may dismiss all of this as political theater, but love him or hate him, the very fact that government leaders are talking about some kind of tax cut -- in a state known for endless borrowing -- is due in no small part to the Governor’s persistence. No one likes to take their medicine, but after more than a decade of fiscal insanity, that’s exactly what Trenton is attempting to do. You wouldn’t run your business that way and neither should the state. The bill I wanted to spotlight this week allows us to combine the Policy Patrol and Manure Pile since it’s both something that could directly affect your business and another example of a dumb idea from the self obsessed politicians in Trenton. A-2821 is yet another bill that is trying to ban plastic shopping bags. By my count this is at least the fourth different piece of legislation trying to do away with these basic items. This bill would mandate that every operator of a retail store would have to restrict the use of non-compostable plastic bags by 50% by November 2014, and by the end of 2016 all of these bags will be banned from use in the state of New Jersey. In order for the DEP to make sure that all these stores are following orders, every retailer would be required to submit a report documenting their reduction efforts, which of course means on top of everything else you do just to keep the doors of your business open, you would be asked to keep track of every single one of the thousands of plastic bags you distribute to your customers on a yearly basis. It always shocks me when I read a proposal like this. How can it be that someone otherwise intelligent would be so disconnected from reality to think this is a reasonable idea? NJGCA will continue to fight against all these dumb plastic bag bills. Thanks for listening – See you next week. Regards,
NEWS AROUND THE STATE 6/14/2012: 6/14/2012: 6/12/2012: 6/12/2012:
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 Phil Apruzzi 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 Phil Apruzzi at 973-376-0066 or email Phil at phil@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
Promoting our agenda in Trenton is of utmost importance to NJGCA and our members. 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. ?
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