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April 18, 2019

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:

• NJGCA New Course for Technicians; Plastic Bag/Straw Ban; Marine Sulfur Rule to Affect Vehicle Fuel Prices

NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS
- Mercer County: Gas Station for Sale
- Monmouth County: Gas Station and Repair Shop Business Since 2001

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

• Christie Slams Murphy Over ‘Vilifying’ EDA Tax Breaks
• Congestion Pricing Is Coming to New York. New Jersey Wants Revenge
• Bagging Pollution
• High’s Introduces Renewable Fuel
• Amazon Go to Accept Cash
• NOPEC Bill Risks Volatile Oil Prices And Blowback From U.S. Allies
• Lower Fuel Prices Predicted for Summer
• IEA Says Oil Market Tightening, But Global Demand May Falter

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!

??????• EMISSIONS INSPECTOR TRAINING CLASS: WEDNESDAY, April 24th
??????• ENTIRE EMISSION REPAIR TECHNICIAN PROGRAM: May 1, 8, 15, 22, June 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26
??????• RECERTIFICATION EMISSION REPAIR TECHNICIAN PROGRAM: May 1, 8, 15, 22

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

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE:

NJGCA NEW COURSE FOR TECHNICIANS
PLASTIC BAG/STRAW BAN
MARINE SULFUR RULE TO AFFECT VEHICLE FUEL PRICES

NEW TECHNICIAN COURSE

In recent months I’ve mentioned numerous times my concern for the difficulty you all have hiring and keeping qualified technicians. Yes, you are able to find warm bodies to turn wrenches, but that doesn't mean that they have that high caliber of knowledge and experience to service your customer’s cars with excellence and expertise. I’ve mentioned that we are trying to put together an apprentice program, and I’ve also mentioned we have taken on an MBP to help you recruit technicians and service writers. Please refer to the MBP brochure and look up United Recruiter Network, the owner Suzanne Hessing has a number of years recruiting qualified technicians for car dealers and has agreed to help out our independent repair shops and is providing discounts for NJGCA members. The third leg of this problem is to provide all of your shop owners with quality technical courses. After discussing this with my fellow association executives from other states, I have come up with what I believe will be an excellent solution. NJGCA is teaming up with East Training to begin providing technical courses for you and your technicians. These are not seminars, these are technical courses instructed by highly qualified and experienced instructors. The course, Enhanced DVOM Diagnostic Strategies will be offered in two night increments. The first course for North Jersey members will be June 5th and 6th in Ridgefield Park at Westview Service and hosted by NJGCA Treasurer Tim Arata. The second will be June 12th and 13th in Forked River at Lacey Auto Care hosted by member Rich Ritchie. Click HERE to see the flier which lists both sessions and location addresses, and click HERE to register for the event online. If you are interested in attending, make sure you register early; space is limited! You will also be receiving your On the Road quarterly newsletter in the next week or so, and this course will be listed there as well.

PLASTIC BAGS/STRAWS

We have been expecting the plastic bag and straw ban to resurface, and sure enough we have heard the time is fast approaching. As you know we have had this bottled up, but the effort to ban plastic bags and straws should be moving to the front of legislators minds again. I know this has a serious effect on members that operate convenience stores. Right now it is rumored that it will be resurfacing with an effort to pass before the summer break. I’ll keep you filled in as I learn developments.

MARINE SULFUR RULE

We have just learned that as of January 1, 2020, the sulfur in fuel used by commercial ships must drop from 3.5% mass to .5%, which may in turn affect the production and distribution of gasoline. We may be looking at a temporary price increase on diesel fuel of 25 to 75 cents per gallon. This is part of an effort to reduce the sulfur content in marine fuel, which is not found in most other aspects of the transportation industry. This will likely disrupt distillate market production and demand and have an effect on vehicle fuel prices, though experts predict this price increase should not last more than three years.

I will be out of town with my family next week, and unless something important comes up there will not be a Road Warrior next Thursday. Should something important and unexpected come up in the industry or in Trenton, Eric and Michelle will get a message out. I wish everyone a Happy Easter and Passover, and my belated best wishes to our Sikh friends for a wonderful Vaisakhi.

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!
WEDNESDAY, April 24th -- 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! This course will also include the NJMVC hands-on training portion. We are offering the class Wednesday, April 24th starting at 7:00am. Cost is $345 for members. Click HERE for registration form.

Want to become an emission repair technician/facility?
Entire Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP) Training Classes
Sections 1-7
1 PM to 9 PM
May 1, 8, 15, 22
June 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26

Sections 8, 9, 10 (RECERTIFICATION)
1 PM to 9 PM
May 1, 8, 15, 22

Stop turning away work!

The New Jersey Inspection Program requires vehicles that fail emissions inspection to go to a Licensed Certified Emission Repair Facility and have a Licensed Emission Repair Technician perform the repairs! When the new Emissions Inspection program begins, a list of Certified Emission Repair Facilities will be given to the vehicle owners who fail the New Jersey Emission Inspection. If you want your business name on the list – make sure you have a Certified Licensed Emission Repair Technician and you are licensed as a Emission Repair Facility! Those signing up for the FULL training course will attend sections 1-10. Full ETEP class fees for members are $2,195 and non-members are $2,395. Recertification fees for members are $729 and non-members are $879. Note for Spring 2018 classes: Recertification dates will be held FIRST, with sections 1 to 7 to follow.

Click here for FULL ETEP REGISTRATION FORM
Click here for ETEP RECERTIFICATION 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.

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

4/17/19
Christie Slams Murphy Over ‘Vilifying’ EDA Tax Breaks
Former Republican Gov. Chris Christie tore into current Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy over his “vilified” depiction of the multi-billion tax break program which he vastly expanded in 2013. In a heavily-worded diatribe against Gov. Murphy over his stance on tax incentives, Christie, who served as governor for two terms, accused the current administration of making New Jersey “an inhospitable place to do business” because of the rhetoric around the Grow New Jersey tax breaks.

4/16/19
Congestion Pricing Is Coming to New York. New Jersey Wants Revenge
New York recently approved congestion pricing, a plan to make it more expensive to drive into the heart of Manhattan. Officials in New Jersey are enraged and have griped, half-jokingly, that it will cost less to travel to California than to cross the Hudson River. . .Starting in early 2021, vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street will pay a toll to raise money to fix New York City’s beleaguered subway. While the fees have not been set, some experts believe it could cost about $14, igniting a fight among interest groups to win exemptions or discounts.

4/15/19
Bagging Pollution
. . .But 15 months later momentum on those efforts has flagged, with the proposed plastic bag ban — Senate Bill 2776 — stalling in the state Legislature. New York beat New Jersey to the punch as the first East Coast state to enact a ban on plastic bags; California and Hawaii are the only other states with prohibitions in place. . .Opponents of the ban, mainly business groups and chemical manufacturers, cite increased costs along with the threat of job losses and are seeking exceptions for specific uses. Supporters cite the benefits of reducing litter on the state’s streets and beaches — something they say is already evident in towns that have enacted their own bans. In fact, while the legislature debates the parameters of a statewide prohibition, municipalities — especially along the shore — have taken the lead, creating a patchwork of ordinances around New Jersey.

4/12/19
High’s Introduces Renewable Fuel
High’s has introduced lower emissions E85 Flex Fuel and 88 octane (also known as E15) to the fuel offerings at its Jessup, Md., location. This marks the company’s first step in an effort to give customers a wider variety of fuel options and offer more value at the pump. High’s plans to add E85 and 88 octane products to more stores in the future.

4/12/19
Amazon Go to Accept Cash
Amazon will add other payment mechanisms, including the ability to accept cash, to its Go locations, CNBC reports. In March, Steve Kessel, senior vice president of physical stores for Amazon, informed workers that the addition of alternative payment methods, including cash, is a move to address “discrimination and elitism” at Go stores.

4/11/19
NOPEC Bill Risks Volatile Oil Prices And Blowback From U.S. Allies
The No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act (NOPEC) — previously introduced during both the Bush and Obama administrations — remains relatively under the radar, but could rattle global oil markets. The bill aims to weaken the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) by removing sovereign immunity from states that cooperate to influence oil production, thereby allowing for antitrust action. If enacted and enforced, it could trigger oil price fluctuations, market instability and new risks to U.S. foreign relations. Although the Trump administration wants to curb OPEC’s power, the organization's presence in recent years has brought price and trade stability to one of the world’s most valuable and strategic commodities.

4/11/19
Lower Fuel Prices Predicted for Summer
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts fuel prices will be lower this summer compared with last year, primarily because Brent crude oil prices are expected to average $7 per barrel less than last summer.

4/11/19
IEA Says Oil Market Tightening, But Global Demand May Falter
Global oil markets are tightening as OPEC supply falls, the International Energy Agency said, while warning it could lower demand forecasts because of economic threats. Crude inventories are set to decline for the rest of the year as Saudi Arabia and its partners curb production, while exports from Venezuela and Iran are squeezed by economic and political crises, the agency said in its monthly report. But it cautioned that threats in the world economy, from Europe to emerging markets, could take a toll on fuel consumption.

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.