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Road Warrior Newsletter


December 20, 2017

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:
• Revisiting and Improving the Predatory Towing Act; Holiday Blessings From NJGCA

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

Spadea: How the minimum wage increase in NJ could affect your small business
N.J. lawmakers back rate hike for you to rescue PSEG nuclear plants

How to fix your hybrid car
Making It Easier for Ex-Offenders to Make a Clean Start

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!
• Emissions Inspector Training Class, THURSDAY, February 15th

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!

Revisiting and Improving the Predatory Towing Act
Holiday Blessings From NJGCA

Some of you may remember back in 2007 when the issue of predatory towing was in the news because motorists were being scammed by unscrupulous towing operators. Basically, the Legislature wanted to protect motorists from exorbitant fees that were incurred when cars were towed from private lots and private property, since there were no statutes or fee schedules to regulate how much a towing company could charge.  As you know, the 2007 Predatory Towing Act, which among other things restricted how much a tow company could charge for hook-up fees, storage, etc., was only meant to cover “non-consent tows” from private lots and private property. Since then, however, it has been applied to the towing of motorists’ cars from the scene of an accident, or any time a police officer called for a tow truck. Although the 2007 compromise and resulting legislation did protect motorists from dishonest operators, as we started to see the bill in action over the past 10 years, we realized there were a few aspects that need to be revisited.   
 
Two weeks ago, with the influence of several NJGCA members who rely heavily on towing as a profit center, Senate Bill 3459 was introduced, which would exempt any tows requested by a law enforcement officer from being subject to the Predatory Towing Act and the associated fee structure. We were in Trenton with these members this past week to support the bill. The bill was heard last Thursday in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, passed out of the Committee unanimously, and was voted on by the full Senate this past Monday, passing 36-0.  Also on Monday, the Assembly Appropriations Committee heard the Assembly version of this bill, A-5329, where it also passed unanimously and will now go to the full Assembly for a vote.  I do expect that this vote will happen before the Legislature expires on January 8th, giving ample opportunity for Governor Christie to sign it before he leaves office.  You can read the testimony we submitted by clicking HERE.
 
Even though there is a lot of activity in Trenton, there isn’t a lot that affects NJGCA members (thankfully), so at this time I want to give you and your families the most blessed wishes for Christmas and a belated Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends. 

 

 


Thanks for reading -- See you next 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.


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


12/19/17
How the minimum wage increase in NJ could affect your small business
Bill Spadea: “Incoming Governor Phil Murphy has some bold ideas for the Garden State. Two of them involve raising your taxes and one will add to the already high cost of doing business in NJ. His millionaires tax is hitting resistances from Senate President Steve Sweeney and the fight to legalize marijuana and tax it for increased state revenue is hitting roadblocks as well. I was joined by a business owner this morning, Joe Olivo, who told me that he’s already getting calls to relocate his business in Virginia. Jeanette Hoffman was also in studio as she is one of the key advocates for the opposition to the outrageous hike in business labor costs.

12/21/17
N.J. lawmakers back rate hike for you to rescue PSEG nuclear plants
Two legislative committees on Wednesday unanimously approved a controversial bill that could raise New Jerseyans' utility bills $41 a year to subsidize the state's largest energy company. Opponents urged the Legislature not to rush through a subsidy during lame duck for a potential emergency that's still two years off. Stefanie Brand, director of the state's Division of Rate Counsel that represents utility consumers, said Wednesday that the utility company has not demonstrated are hurting financially "other than bald assertions and ultimatums issued by the company."
 
12/17/17
How to fix your hybrid car
Hybrid automobiles have only been on the market for a short time but fixing them is still a matter for the professionals. And according to Andrew Walko of Walko Automotive in Hillsborough, “hybrids are here to stay.” Sal Risalvato of the New Jersey Gasoline C-Store Association agrees that any service station with the required training can service hybrids. He added changes are afoot for the regulations regarding full-service gasoline pumping stations in New Jersey. He noted that hybrids can be recharged wherever a recharging station is available, and experts noted that with state monies available, more stations will be coming online at a variety of locations, from existing sites like hospitals and parking garages, to mall and other sites previously not considered.
 
12/21/17
Making It Easier for Ex-Offenders to Make a Clean Start
New Jersey has made it easier for many ex-offenders to start their lives fresh after release, with a significant reform of the process for expunging one’s criminal history enacted on Wednesday. “At the end of the day, expungement is important for gaining entry into the job market,” he said. The package of bills broadens the ability to essentially erase one’s entire criminal record, including all files with the court, detention facility, law enforcement, and other justice agencies that deal with an apprehension, arrest, detention, trial, and disposition of an offense. This is especially important to helping an ex-offender get a job.
 
S-3306 strengthens a law Christie signed in August 2014 known as “Ban the Box,” that prevents employers from asking about a person’s criminal record on an initial employment application. This bill prohibits an employer from not only asking about an applicant’s criminal history verbally or in writing, but also from making an online inquiry about a past record, including one that had been expunged.
 

  

                                                                                                                                                                                          

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. 

                                                                                                                                     

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.