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Road Warrior Newsletter

February 20, 2015

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:
• Legislation to Close Rewards Programs Loopholes; Gas Tax Update - Gov's Budget Address and Asbury Park Press Editorial

NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS
- NJGCA MEMBER SELLING EMISSIONS MACHINE & GAS BENCH


SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

Lawmakers suggest stop-gap solution for TTF if no deal by June
No deal on N.J. gas tax or transportation funding plan before Christie budget speech, lawmakers say
Bad deal on gas tax | Editorial
Will N.J. trade a higher gas tax for a lower death tax?

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!
NJ EMISSIONS INSPECTOR CLASS - TUESDAY, FEB. 24th!

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD
•Gill Energy: Getting you There!
•Choose BatteryCorp for Your Back-Up Power and Site Management
•Bellomo Fuel: Exceptional Service, Aggressive Petroleum Marketing
•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!

THE MEMBER TOOL BOX
•On the NJGCA Homepage

JOIN NJGCA ON FACEBOOK -- CLICK HERE

TO SEE OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL -- CLICK HERE

                                                                                                                                                            

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE: GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS! 

LEGISLATION TO CLOSE REWARDS PROGRAMS LOOPHOLES
GAS TAX UPDATE: GOV'S BUDGET ADDRESS & ASBURY PARK PRESS EDITORIAL
 
You should have all received an action alert this week about the rewards bill that closes the loophole which allows oil companies to have YOU pay for a portion of rewards that are redeemed at your pumps. This bill will be voted on in the Assembly on Monday! THANK YOU to all of you who sent messages two weeks ago to your State Senator. The Senate version passed 36-0!  We are NOT assured of passage in the Assembly, so it is critical that you participate in the action alert!  It is very simple. Just a few clicks and our pre-written message will be sent to your legislator asking them to vote YES on Monday!
 
Here's a reason why this legislation is important to you.  Besides that fact that these schemes will cost you money, OPIS recently alerted us that rewards programs nationwide have been declining. To read the OPIS article, please CLICK HERE. We also know that Exxon is unveiling a brand new rewards program, and I want to make certain that YOU are not bearing the burden of the programs that the oil companies dream up.  Specifically, I received several communications from members, in response to our action alert, with details about this very program. Members informed us that Exxon just recently "made them" sign up for a rewards program called Plenti that requires a $500 monthly fee. The other partners in this program apparently include Rite Aid, Macy's and other large stores, and if the consumer uses the rewards card at Exxon or any of the other partner stores, they get cash back to be used at any participating businesses. Our members are concerned that they will most likely NOT earn their $500/month back, but also feel that if they don't participate, it will drive the consumer down the street to the next Exxon station. This is EXACTLY the type of situation that this legislation would help prevent.  PLEASE take action today to reach out to your legislators about this issue.  This information is coming at the perfect time and coincides nicely with our efforts to get this legislation passed.
 
Next, gas tax. I don't have any specific updates on the status of increasing the gas tax, however, the Governor's budget address is next week, and I just cannot imagine that he won't have some sort of proposal to introduce.  Here's an interesting editorial that was sent to me by the Editor of the Asbury Park Press, which he asked me to share with you all. Privately, the legislature, (and I believe even the governor), think that the best way to avoid this train wreck is to raise the gas tax.  Politically, I'm not sure how many of them have the will.  And it is that uncertainty that makes me fear that they will do the wrong thing and impose a sales tax. I won't sleep peacefully until this is all put to bed. The longer that this issue lingers the more painful a solution may be to you when one is finally put in place.  This remains the highest priority.

That's all for now!  Thanks for reading -- See you next week!


Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

                                                                                                                                                   

TRAINING CLASSES!!
-ALL CLASSES WILL BE HELD AT NJGCA HEADQUARTERS-
66 Morris Avenue - Springfield, NJ 07081 (Union County)

In order to be licensed as a Motor Vehicle Emission Inspector, you must complete this course and pass a "Written Exam" given by the State of New Jersey. NJGCA offers this training in a ONE DAY State approved training program that will provide an understanding of inspection related issues including EPA Regulations, Safety, Diesel, Customer Service and the New Jersey State Specific Curriculum. This specially tailored NJGCA course fulfills all requirements.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

CLASS DETAILS:

Class Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Class Location: NJGCA Headquarters, located at 66 Morris Avenue - Springfield, NJ 07081
Arrival Time: 7:00am
Lunch Break: 12:00pm (Pizza and soda will be served)
NJMVC Test: 1:00pm

CLASS FEES:

NJGCA Members: $250.00
Non-members: $300.00

Manuals are included and payment is due upon registration. All credit cards are accepted.

License Fee: Bring a $50.00 check made payable to NJMVC to satisfy the State's licensing fee.

PLEASE NOTE: If you live out of state, you must bring 6 points of ID with you, such as a license, passport, healthcare card, utility bill, etc.

FUTURE CLASSES 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!!

                                                                                                                                                   

CLASSIFIEDS! -- FOR SALE & HELP WANTED ADS 

FOR SALE: EMISSIONS MACHINE AND GAS BENCH --


This machine has all the options and can be used on cars and trucks. 

Includes: OBD, gas cap, gas bench, remote scanner, computer system, finger print scanner and scan tech. Like new condition! Just a little dusty.

$7,000 or best offer. Call Bill at 201 933 3535
  
   

                                                                                                                                                          

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW


02/19/2015:
Lawmakers suggest stop-gap solution for TTF if no deal by June
Deliberations over fixing a broken transportation infrastructure system have yet to bear fruit. One legislative leader in Trenton suggested another round of stop-gap refinancing could be in the cards for the state’s depleted TTF. “It’s still in dialogue,” Assembly Speaker Vinnie Prieto told PolitickerNJ, referring to ongoing discussions on the subject. “But listen, if it can’t be accomplished we’ll have to figure out what the next step will be.” Lawmakers have been going behind close doors to figure out how exactly where they’ll get the revenues to replenish the TTF, which pays for major road, bridge, and rail repairs in the state. One of the possible routes legislators in Trenton are considering to get the TTF back on better financial footing is to implement a statewide gas tax, falling either on all petroleum coming into the state or on consumers at the pump. In exchange, Republicans want Democrats to help them eliminate the state’ estate tax, sought by Gov. Christie and others. But the bargaining has yet to pan out. Part of the problem is ideological impasse, as a League of Municipalities Day debate on the subject showed earlier this month. Some Republicans said they would refuse to support a gas tax no matter the reward, compelling Senate President Sweeney (D-3) to warn that “partisanship” would likely get in the way of lawmakers arriving at a solution to the TTF.
 
02/19/2015:
No deal on N.J. gas tax or transportation funding plan before Christie budget speech, lawmakers say
NJ's Democratic legislative leaders had hoped to strike a deal with Republican Gov. Christie on replenishing the state's Transportation Trust Fund before the governor delivers his next budget proposal on Tuesday. That's not likely to happen. Democratic lawmakers said there's little chance they'll come to an agreement with the governor before then, even as negotiations continue between Christie, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, (D-Gloucester) and state Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson). "We had a very positive conversation with the speaker, Christie and I, last week," Sweeney said today. "But the reality is, I don't anticipate having an announcement for his budget address, I can tell you that right now." The Transportation Trust Fund -- which pays for road, bridge and mass transit projects, is virtually broke -- and finding a way to fund it has been the Legislature's top priority so far this year. Democrats insist that an increase in the gas tax is necessary, something that Christie has said is "on the table" and his transportation commissioner has indicated is all but inevitable. Negotiations also involve a possible repeal of the estate tax and a cut in taxes on retirement income.
 
02/17/2015:
Bad deal on gas tax | Editorial
A terrible deal is taking shape over the gas tax, one that would hammer working-class families while showering new benefits on those of means by scaling back estate and inheritance taxes. Democrats need to wake up, look in the mirror and give themselves a good slap to remind themselves of their core mission. If they want to champion the cause of common people, this is their moment. They have to stop this deal. Begin with the hard fact at the core of this debate: NJ's transportation system is falling apart, and the fund that is supposed to handle the costs of repairs and construction is broken. This is not about right or left: It's about math. If we don't pay the bills, the bulldozers will stop. Our roads and rail systems will continue to decay, our bond rating will continue to plummet, and the state's economy will go into a deeper state of rot. To avoid that, we need to raise the gas tax, or a broader tax on petroleum products, by the equivalent of about 20 cents a gallon. And we need a constitutional amendment to make sure the new money is entirely devoted to transportation.
 
02/16/2015:
Will N.J. trade a higher gas tax for a lower death tax?
New Jersey's cheap gas is a point of pride in an otherwise high-tax state.  On the other hand, the Garden State is notorious for its duo of death taxes often landing it a spot on superlative lists like "Where not to die" and "Worst states to die."  NJ is just one of two states to impose both a tax on a person's assets after they die (estate tax), and on the heir inheriting the estate (inheritance tax). As Gov. Christie and lawmakers grapple with finding a way to finance much-needed road and rail projects, the big question making the rounds in Trenton is: Will state leaders trade a higher gas tax for lower "death" taxes? Lawmakers are considering an increase in the gas tax, either on gas at the pump or wholesale purchases from refineries, in exchange for the elimination of the estate tax. Some believe such a deal would cushion the political blow from raising the gas tax in a car-crazy state. Christie, a likely presidential candidate who has put "everything on the table" in finding ways to fund the soon-to-be broke TTF, has not yet tipped his hand on gas taxes. But he has expressed his disdain for the estate and inheritance taxes.

                                                                                                                                                        

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 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.
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
66 Morris Avenue
Springfield, NJ 07081
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. 

                                                                                                                                                             

THE MEMBER TOOL BOX

MEMBER SAVINGS PAGE
Check out all of our MBPs and Programs designed to SAVE YOU MONEY!