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October 16, 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:

GREETINGS & SAL-UTATIONS!

• Tobacco Purchase Age Increase in Hillsdale and Paterson; Committee Hearing on NJ Lottery in Trenton; NJGCA Diner Tour Continues Next Week in North Arlington

NJGCA CLASSIFIEDS

- NJGCA MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER GILL ENERGY LOOKING TO HIRE FOR (3) DIFFERENT POSITIONS

District Manager
Store Manager
Trucking Operations Manager

For more information, and to submit a resume, please contact: ravigill@gillenergy.com.

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

• PSE&G warns of spike in small business scams
• Synthetic marijuana a growing concern in N.J., nationally
• FBI Says Chip-Based Credit Cards Safer But Need PIN to Protect Against Fraud
• NJ Legislators Look Askance at Private Contractor’s Lottery Revenue Shortfalls

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!
• Emission Inspector Training Class on Tues, December 8, 2015

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD
•Gill Energy: Getting you There!
•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!

*NEW*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!

TOBACCO PURCHASE AGE INCREASE IN HILLSDALE AND PATERSON
COMMITTEE HEARING ON NJ LOTTERY IN TRENTON
NJGCA DINER TOUR CONTINUES NEXT WEEK IN NORTH ARLINGTON

On Tuesday night, Eric and I spent a long evening at the Hillsdale municipal building. We were joined by the owners of two local convenience stores to try to persuade the Mayor and Council not to introduce an ordinance which would raise the tobacco age from 19 to 21. I continue to report on this to you because it's a constant assault across the state. For those of you that sell tobacco, especially in your c-stores, I understand how critical this issue is to you and your profits. Last night was just the introduction, so we will be back again on November 10^th (when they actually vote for passage), and we will once again voice our opposition.

Local c-store owners stand with Sal as he testifies against the proposal.

We also just learned that Paterson has introduced a similar measure. There was no public hearing on it yet, but we are trying to meet with the Mayor before the next Council meeting, which takes place on 10/27. If you own a business in Paterson or if you know anyone in Paterson, please email eric@njgca.org. Your support, as a business owner in the town who would be impacted by this policy, provides a much- needed perspective on the issue that is more compelling when told by YOU and not me. Please help us fight this battle!

Next, there will be a legislative hearing on Monday about the NJ Lottery. We don't know what to expect, but Eric will be in Trenton attending the hearing. We will make sure that the committee understands our adamant opposition to internet lottery. This was just scheduled yesterday so at this point it is not clear if that issue will be a focus of the hearing, but since the committee needs to determine how to increase profitability of the Lottery, and since many view the sale of lottery over the internet as a way to make more money for the state, this subject is likely to come up.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone that our next diner tour meeting will be next week in North Arlington. This week's meeting in West Milford was one of my favorite so far. It was the perfect size for meaningful and thought-provoking discussion on a variety of important issues -- most noticeably, self-serve. I love to provide a forum for members to debate the issues in a respectful and informative manner. I hope you've been finding these meetings as enjoyable as I do, and I hope that you will join us whenever you can! Our upcoming meetings are in North Arlington (October 21), Egg Harbor Township (November 4) and Lebanon (Dec. 1). We will be sending emails and making phone calls to members in Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties for next week's meeting in North Arlington. If you RSVP to our email(s), you will save yourself, your staff, and my staff, from the time-consuming process of multiple follow-up phone calls and emails. Please contact Jacy at 732-256-9646 for more info on any of these upcoming meetings.

A great group of involved and active members in West Milford

        Patty Olsen of Ideal Petroleum,                        Rick Malanga, of Malanga's Automotive
       winner of a case of Gulf motor oil,                             winner of the $50 raffle!
        donated by Hough Petroleum.

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

Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director

TRAINING CLASSES!!

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, December 08, 2015
Class Location: NJGCA Headquarters -- 4900 Route 33 West, Wall Twp, NJ 07753
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 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

NJGCA MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER GILL ENERGY LOOKING TO HIRE FOR (3) DIFFERENT POSITIONS!

District Manager
Store Manager
Trucking Operations Manager

For more information about these positions, and to submit a resume for consideration, please contact: ravigill@gillenergy.com.

NEWS AROUND THE STATE: THE NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

10/14/2015:
PSE&G warns of spike in small business scams
It's getting chilly at night this time of year, so it's no time to learn that your electricity or gas will be turned off for unpaid bills. But that's what increasing numbers of PSE&G business customers have been hearing in recent weeks. The problem, of course, is that their accounts are not delinquent. They're being scammed, and PSE&G says the number of scam complaints it has received recently has increased significantly. PSE&G officials issued a warning to customers to be on guard against phony termination threats. "This is an old scam with a new twist," said Greg Dunlap, VP of Customer Operations for PSE&G, NJ's largest utility. "Now some scammers are imitating PSE&G's interactive voice response system prompt menu, so when customers call them back, they hear something similar to what they'd experience if they called PSE&G's customer service line." To find out how the scam works, click the link to read the entire article.

10/13/2015:
Synthetic marijuana a growing concern in N.J., nationally
While accounting for only a fraction of a percentage of all exposures reported to poison control centers both nationally and in NJ, recent data show a rising tide of synthetic marijuana usage nationally, with reported exposures nearly doubling in the U.S. compared to last year. Through September, the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) has received 6,310 calls regarding people suffering the effects of synthetic marijuana, compared to 3,682 in all of last year. In the US, New Jersey has received the ninth-most calls to date this year regarding exposure to the drug with 142 logged calls, according to data on AAPCC website. However, the number of calls to the national poison center regarding synthetic marijuana -- which can be purchased illegally at tobacco shops in New Jersey, online, at corner stores and from street dealers -- still represents a small number of calls received by the centers overall.

10/09/2015:
FBI Says Chip-Based Credit Cards Safer But Need PIN to Protect Against Fraud
The National Retail Federation agrees with a warning from the FBI that new chip-based credit cards are safer than traditional cards but still vulnerable to fraud and need to be used with a PIN instead of a signature to minimize risk. “What the FBI is saying is what the rest of the world already sees as common sense,” NRF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Mallory Duncan said. “It’s the right thing to do, and we hope the banks are listening. Retailers are determined to protect their customers,” Duncan said. “That’s why we are pushing the banks to use all of the security the new cards are capable of providing, not just half. They shouldn’t lock the front door but leave the back door wide open.” In a warning to consumers, merchants and law enforcement, the FBI praised Europay MasterCard Visa chip cards as being more secure than traditional magnetic stripe cards, but said they are “still vulnerable to fraud.”

10/08/2015:
Legislators Look Askance at Private Contractor’s Lottery Revenue Shortfalls
Two years after NJ turned over some state lottery functions to a private venture under a controversial long-term deal, lawmakers are questioning why revenues have not met expectations and whether the privatization contract is worth it. The Senate Legislative Oversight Committee announced yesterday that it will hold a hearing on October 19 to review NJ’s deal with Northstar New Jersey to address concerns raised in recent weeks about fees Northstar is collecting even as it has failed to meet net-revenue targets. An Assembly committee is also scheduling a hearing on the deal. The NJ Lottery reported record revenues during the 2015 fiscal year, which ended June 30, but also disclosed it could be distributing less money to state programs – including funding for colleges, aid to college students and funds for psychiatric hospitals -- than required by law. Senate Legislative Oversight Committee Chairman Robert Gordon (D-Bergen) is concerned about New Jersey’s deal with Northstar and the projected shortfalls, but he also cited a recent decision by Illinois to part ways with Northstar as revenues lagged there as well.

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.

*NEW*Energy Information Agency Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices

Each week, the Energy Information Administration publishes a list of average gasoline prices for the previous three (3) weeks. NJGCA will begin including this list with the Weekly Road Warrior. Remember, these prices are for reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.