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January 12, 2023
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 Inside this issue
A Message From Your Association
  A Message From Your Association  
  A Message From Your Association  
 

2023 Compliance Calendar Available

NJGCA MBP Highlight: Card Connect

Updates: Anchor Property Tax Relief, Gun Regulations, and Litter Control Fee

New Jersey Liquor License Reform

NJGCA Healthcare Plan: It’s Not Too Late to Enroll!

Compliance Calendar

The 2023 New Jersey Fuel Dispensing Facilities Compliance Calendar is now available online and on our website slider. Years ago, the DEP used to drop off the gas station compliance calendar and we would distribute to our membership. As a cost-saving measure, they don't do this anymore and they have made it so that you can print it yourself. As a warning, if DEP comes to your station and they discover you are not recording information you may encounter costly penalties. If you find this too cumbersome, some of the items that need to be recorded you can have done by one of our MBPs for a monthly fee, though others that require daily checks you will still be on the hook for. Check the MBP brochure and give one of them a call. 

Card Connect

We wanted to highlight our Member Benefit Partner Card Connect as an example of the benefits of membership to a trade association. Our partnership with Card Connect allows members to avoid additional fees that most customers are required to pay:

Card Connect has a commitment to all NJGCA members to provide the lowest possible rates and fees to process credit and debit cards for the members.

Card Connect implemented a $269.00 Annual Security Bundle Fee to all merchant accounts in the USA this January 2023. NJGCA Members are excluded from this service charge as this program is a direct relationship with the NJGCA, and Card Connect, the processor. NJGCA Members will be credited back this fee by February 2023. This fee Does Not affect the low rates the members currently have. 

If any members have any questions or concerns, I can be reached at (609) 957-1784.

Sincere Regards,

Louis Puglisi

Quick Updates

ANCHOR Tax Relief: While it doesn’t apply to businesses, we want to make sure our members are aware that they could be leaving free money on the table! Have you taken advantage of the state’s new Anchor Property Tax Relief program? According to Department of Treasury, a little over one million New Jersey residents out of a pool of roughly two million have so far filed applications for relief belief benefits, meaning you could be giving up a free rebate meant to cover property taxes, anywhere from $450 to $1500 (if household income is under $250,000). The filing deadline is February 28, 2023, and you can find the required information, as well as the link to the application HERE.

Firearm Carry Regulations: Last week, we mentioned that Governor Murphy signed into law new firearm regulations, including a provision that banned permit holders from carrying their concealed weapon into any business unless “the owner has provided express consent or has posted a sign indicating that it is permissible to carry on the premises a concealed handgun with a valid and lawfully issued permit.” This Monday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the part of the law that prohibits guns from being carried into businesses. At the moment, you do not need to worry about this and no action is needed from you. A longer court case will now play out that will decide the fate of the new law. 

Litter Control Fee: Since we reported on the Litter Control fee a few weeks ago we have received some calls from members that they had gotten a letter from the Division of Taxation saying they are subject to the Litter Control Fee, and they owed money and potentially needed to pay seven years of back fees. As a reminder, this fee was created back in 2002 and applies to retailers who sell certain products (mainly cigarettes and food). However, it only applies if the retailer sells more than $500,000 in gross sales of these products each year. We wanted to send along further clarification that even if you sell cigarettes or food products, you are required to file the form annually even if you do not owe any tax. The filing for 2022 is due before March 15th, 2023, you can find the form here Litter Control Fee form, make sure either you or your accountant takes care of it. This has generally not been previously enforced, but now the Department of Taxation is cracking down. You can view the list of the litter generating products that are subject to the tax, as well as link to file online HERE.

Liquor License Reform

This week, Governor Murphy presented his annual State of the State address to the people of New Jersey. While he didn’t mention much that concerns our members, one thing that caught our attention was his plans to reform the state’s antiquated liquor license laws. The governor presented nothing that will allow convenience stores to be able to acquire any form of liquor licenses. Unfortunately, it appears he is only concerned about reforms for restaurants and not on the retail end. NJGCA has long supported making a change to the law that would allow convenience stores to sell beer and wine as they do in most of the rest of the country. We are working with legislators to hopefully have that included in any changes to the law. Please email Eric at eric@njgca.org if you are interested in this topic and would like to be part of our efforts to change the law. 

Healthcare

An important reminder to our members that just because we’ve rolled into a new calendar year, it doesn’t mean that it’s too late to look into or switch your health insurance. With healthcare expenses increasing, it certainly doesn’t hurt to make sure you are getting the most coverage you need for the least amount of money, and you can change your plan anytime throughout the year. If you act now, your new plan can take effect for February 1, 2023.

We already know of several businesses that are saving big with this plan:

 Auto repair – single employee – saved over $11,500 a year

Gas station – single employee & employee with spouse – saved over $6,000 a year

Auto repair – employee with family – saved over $10,000 a year

Gas & Repair – employee with family – saved almost $4,000 a year

Gas & Repair – 2 single employees & employee with spouse – saved over $18,000 a year

Gas station – single employee & employee with family – saved almost $7,000 a year

Auto Repair – single employee – saved over $17,000 a year

That is a lot of money saved! Learn more about the program and see how much you can be saving HERE.

Be Well-

Your Association Staff

 

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  Training Class Schedule  
 

All classes held at NJGCA HQ -- 615 Hope Road, Building 2, 1st Floor, Eatontown, NJ 07724

ASE Training Course - Reach Out Today!

Are you (or an employee) getting ready to take your A6, A8, or L1 in preparation to recertifying your Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through the State's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP)?  

We can help --- but we need to hear from you, first! 
NJGCA wants to hear from students interested in our ASE-prep training program, so we can gauge demand and schedule our next session series. 

As you know, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has always maintained a "dual-track" system to allow technicians to earn their Emission Repair Technician (ERT) credentials through New Jersey's Emission Technician Education Program (ETEP). In doing so, technicians were allowed to certify as ERTs through either an ASE-test track or an ETEP-educational class track. Starting on January 1, 2020, NJDEP amended the ETEP criteria, and the ETEP-educational class track was abolished.  

Today, only the ASE-test track remains, and all ERTs must certify or re-certify their credentials though ASE to remain in the Program. 

NJGCA has recently offered an ASE-prep class to help you get ready for the A6, A8, and L1. In doing so, students were welcome to participate in a ten-session preparatory class that covered material for all three ASE exams. We also had a handful of students who joined us only for the A8 or L1 sections.  

Once completed, students took their ASE exams with a local ASE-approved test proctor (NJGCA can train you to prepare for the ASE exams, but are not permitted to offer the actual exam - students must make these arrangements individually themselves). 

Building on that success, we are now seeking student participation in our next training series session. To make arrangements and organize a session, we need to hear from you! 

If you are interested, please email us at training@njgca.org ASAP. 

We'll record your interest, inquire on your availability, and schedule a class once we have a full complement of students.   

Only with your feedback can we gauge student headcount and participation.  

Please reach out to us today, and thank you for your interest! 
 

Contact Nick De Palma at Nick@njgca.org to inquire about potential trainings and class dates

 

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  News Around The State  
 

1/10/23

What The Hell Happened To Wawa? | Cirucci

Once upon a time Wawa was simply a tidy, friendly convenience store. It had a cozy, neighborhood feel. In fact, you could buy fresh sliced lunch meat, cheese and fixins (including pickles from a pickle barrel) and make your own hoagie. The closest you’ll find to these original stores in Cherry Hill are on Route 70 opposite where the controversial superstore was planned and at Holly Ravine Plaza on Springdale Road. Today the beloved Wawa outlet that put the chain on the map is increasingly rare. Because Wawa has since become ubiquitous, intrusive and somewhat menacing. Just getting in and out of a Wawa can now be a major undertaking. If you doubt this, try the one wedged on Haddonfield Road near Maple Avenue or the sprawling Wawa on Route 70 between Marlkress and Greentree. 

1/9/23

Even With Electric Vehicles, An Expanded Turnpike Extension Would Be Bad For The Environment | Opinion

The Turnpike Authority’s proposal to replace and expand the Newark Bay/Jersey City Extension has been met with extensive and well-deserved opposition. It’s a bad proposal. Gov. Murphy has defended it by referencing the growing electrification of motor vehicles. However, even with electrification, there is simply no way that the turnpike expansion is a win for the environment, especially compared to investments in transit, cycling and walking.

1/9/23

Will NJ See $5 Gas Again? This Analyst Sees A Winter Reprieve Followed By A New Surge

After a dip from last summer's record highs, gas prices in New Jersey are likely to head back above $4 this year — and could approach $5 a gallon again in the New York metropolitan area, according to one analysis. Price-tracking app GasBuddy, in its 2023 fuel outlook, predicted that costs will rise through the summer as China's economy reopens from COVID lockdowns and Russia's war in Ukraine continues to pressure global supplies.

1/9/23

John Deere Will Let US Farmers Repair Their Own Equipment

John Deere has been one of the stauncher opponents of right to repair regulation, but it's now willing to make some concessions. Deere & Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) that lets US farmers and independent repair shops fix equipment, rather than requiring the use of authorized parts and service centers. Users will have access to official diagnostics, manuals, tools and training. Deere will let owners disable electronic locks, and won't bar people from legally obtaining repair resources even if the company no longer offers them.

1/10/23

Number Of U.S. Charging Stations Must Quadruple Through 2025, Firm Says

The number of electric vehicle charging stations in the U.S. must quadruple through 2025 to meet EV sales demand, according to S&P Global Mobility. Many EV owners power their vehicles through at-home chargers, but a robust public charging network will be necessary as automakers transition to selling mostly EVs in the U.S. EVs make up less than 1 percent of the 281 million vehicles in operation today and accounted for about 5 percent of new vehicle registrations from January through October 2022, but that share will soon expand, S&P Global Mobility forecasts. EV marketshare for new vehicles will likely reach 40 percent by 2030, or 28.3 million vehicles, according to a report by Stephanie Brinley, associate director of Auto Intelligence for S&P Global Mobility, published Monday.

 

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  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.

 

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  Member Benefit Partner Message Board  
 

    

 

 

 

 

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  Classifieds: For Sale and Help Wanted Ads  
 

Dispensers & Kiosk For Sale: Dispensers (2) are Dresser Wayne and EMV compliant & updated.  

Address: 

924 Stuyvesant Ave

Union, NJ 07083

P: (908) 688-4480

Contact:

Fran Metta

C: (908) 416-4303

E: franmetta@cs.com

 

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