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January 22, 2010
GREETINGS AND SAL-UTATIONS!
Dear NJGCA Member:
INSPECTION PROGRAM CONTINUED, TRADESHOW WEBSITE
Over the last few weeks, I have been updating you on the inspection program saga as it unfolds. The saga continues as we are nearing the end of this process. NJGCA plans on holding MVC & Parson’s collective feet to the fire to make sure that we get information to you in a timely manner.
With this in mind, we have come to an agreement with the suits at MVC to update NJGCA every Thursday morning on the status of the program. This will allow me to update you every Friday with the very latest news and information.
Here’s a recap of my conference with the suits as of Thursday, January 21:
INSPECTION EQUIPMENT:
-1,095 new inspection equipments orders were placed and 1,094 have been delivered, with one order outstanding due to the shop owner being out of the country.
-Of all the equipment orders delivered, 983 have been initialized with 112 yet to be processed. If you have not initialized your equipment do so TODAY. Please call 1-888-NJ-MOTOR for any assistance.
-There were 704 gas benches ordered and 700 have been installed, leaving only four more units to be processed. As for right now, one of these four has been scheduled and three others have extenuating circumstances which are preventing the process from being complete.
BIOMETRIC FINGERPRINTING:
-Of the approximately 2,100 NJ PIF Inspector Licenses, only 1,078 have been biometrically screened. This means that there are over 1,000 NJ Emission Inspectors that have yet to complete the biometric fingerprinting process. If you have not done so, please contact MVC/Parsons and get this done now to prevent any problems later. Please call 1-888-NJ-MOTOR for any assistance.
DEADLINE DATES:
-As of Thursday morning, the 13 PIFs that have been chosen as Beta sites are still on schedule to begin testing the equipment February 8th. The PIF Beta Testing is still scheduled to conclude on February 24th.
PIFs are still on schedule to be fully operational by March 12.
CIF TESTING UPDATE:
-CIF beta testing is ongoing at the Bakers Basin site in Lawrenceville. The testing will continue for the next few weeks and run through the start of the new program.
-The Bakers Basin CIF location is testing a range of different vehicle types as the process continues. That information has been transmitted to MVC from Parsons and SGS and will be reviewed by state officials.
In addition, a VID message went out to all Emission Repair Facilities reminding them for the need to establish an internet connection at your shop. Whether you are an ERF participating in the PIF program or not, all ERFs must establish an internet connection to utilize the New Jersey Vehicle Inspection Portal web service.
You must complete this process immediately or you will not be able to participate.
You may use any Internet Service Provider (ISP) that is available in your area and the connection must be maintained through the end of the current contract (5/2013) and any subsequent contract extensions.
Once connected through an ISP, you are required to send an email to the MVC to initiate the registration process. You facility must be registered with MVC no later than 1/31/2010. The email address is: NJMVCInspectionServices@dot.state.nj.us
Please include the following information in your e-mail or your registration will not be processed: ERF No, Shop Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Shop Owners Full Name, Shop Managers Full Name (if different from owner), and Contact Phone Number. In the subject line of the email please enter: ERF Portal Registration Process.
The State will grant access to the New Jersey Vehicle Inspection Portal only to the owners/managers of an ERF station. Once the MVC has received your email, instructions will be forwarded back to you on how to enroll all users within their shop and how to use the system. The station owner/manager will be responsible for setting up the access for all licensed emission repair technicians working at their facility.
If you have any questions please contact either Laurie Salbego or Ted Lefkowich at 609-633-9460
Recently NJGCA announced our continued participation in the NORTHEAST 2010 Tradeshow on March 19, 20, 21 at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus. We are proud to be part of this great event and are looking forward to bringing you the very best tradeshow in the region.
Even as we continue to solidify our plans and approach new vendors, we have created a new home for the NJGCA Tradeshow Page on the world-wide web. Please visit http://tradeshow.njgca.org to see our revised website. Please be sure to bookmark it!!!
This site has been completely redesigned with all the essential information and details you need for NORTHEAST 2010. Here you will find information for all show attendees, directions, a list of vendors, exhibitor information, area attractions, hotel information and more!
I hope you like the reconfigured site! I invite you to check it out and send us any questions or constructive feedback you have.
Also, please be sure to take a look at the NORTHEAST 2010 central tradeshow page by clicking HERE.
Please make a habit of checking back often for changes and updated seminar information.
Also, please alert us if you have suppliers or vendors that we should be asking to take space at our upcoming NORTHEAST 2010 tradeshow. If they have been serving your establishment well and contributing to your success, we’d like to invite them to participate at the show!
Finally this week, please look below for newly scheduled training classes for you to take advantage of. These classes are open to both members and non-members. Please call us to register and see below for full details.
In addition, we are currently in the process of putting classes together for April, May and June. If you are interested in taking classes in this time frame, please call NJGCA and let us know so we can add you to the list.
Thanks for reading. See you next week!
Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director
IN THIS WEEK’S NJGCA ROAD WARRIOR
UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!
•See our new class schedule below!!
POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
•Participate in the NJGCA PAC today and help us keep our Agenda rolling in Trenton!
MBP BUSINESS SEMINARS BY AFFINITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
•Sign up for classes aimed at improving your small business today!
BUSINESS TOOLS: AMERICAN EQUIPMENT FINANCE (AEF), LLC
•We can provide you with financing from $15,000 to $500,000 - SAVE WITH AEF!
NEWS AROUND THE STATE
•New polls shows support for teacher merit pay, easier dismissal
•Executive order extends pay-to-play regulations and curbs union political donations
•Christie signs pro-business executive orders, finds bigger budget shortfall
•NJGCA in the News: Risalvato comments on start-over for Right to Repair
ON THE NJGCA HOMEPAGE
MEMBER SAVINGS PAGE
Check out all of our MBPs and Programs designed to SAVE YOU MONEY!
HELPFUL LINKS
Looking for something? Take a look at our list of useful links!
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
Find all our communications and search for old e-newsletters. Take a look!
NEWS AROUND THE STATE ARCHIVE
Need to catch up on events? Want to see what's going on? Find out here!
KNOW YOUR TERRITORY MANAGER!
Henry Darden: Territory Manager for Middlesex, Union, Part of Essex (Southern Half)
Cell: 908-247-2992
Email: henry@njgca.org
Jack Leli: Territory Manager for Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem
Cell: 732-995-1637
Email: jack@njgca.org
Bob Quirk: Territory Manager for Bergen, Hudson, Part of Essex (Northern Half)
Cell: 201-214-8836
E-mail: bob@njgca.org
Frank Stewart: Territory Manager for Morris, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Passaic
Cell: 973-234-7403
Email: frank@njgca.org
Don Stohrer: Territory Manager for Monmouth, Mercer, Somerset
Cell: 732-539-2955
Email: don@njgca.org
UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!
Due to overwhelming demand, NJGCA has added additional classes in January, February and March!
ETEP TRAINING
Emission Repair Technician Re-Certification Class
NJGCA is offering the ETEP course that your ERT’s need in order to re-certify their license.
Our Course includes:
•New Jersey State Specific Information Course
•ETEP Section 6 “OBDII Monitoring Failures”
•Section 7 “Light-Duty Diesel Vehicle Technologies and Testing”.
•Five (5) nights class instruction
Everything your technician needs to Re-Certify his ERT license!!!
Class Cost (Including Manuals):
•NJGCA Member rates: $489.00
•NON-Member rates: $629.00
January Class - Union
January 12th, 14th, 19th 21st & 26th
Tuesdays and Thursdays
7:00pm to 10:00pm
February Class - Union
February 9th, 11th, 16th, 18th & 23rd
Tuesdays and Thursdays
7:00pm to 10:00pm
March Class - Rumson
March 9th, 11th, 16th, 18th & 23rd
Tuesdays and Thursdays
7:00pm to 10:00pm
PLEASE NOTE: We are currently in the process of putting classes together for April, May and June. If you are interested in taking classes in this time period, please call NJGCA and let us know so we can add you to the list.
Call Debbie Hill to enroll in the classes at debbie@njgca.org or call 973-376-0066.
POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
Ensuring our friends in the legislature are re-elected and advocating for our agenda in Trenton are of utmost importance to the agenda of NJGCA.
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 the shoulders of a few. This is not fair to them, and it is not fair to many of you who are relying on the benefits of good legislation being passed in Trenton.
To truly understand the importance of fundraising for our allies, let’s look back upon the overwhelming successes of the last year:
NJGCA successfully lobbied against BELOW COST SELLING. If approved, BELOW COST SELLING would have cost each of you thousands of dollars and put many of you out of businesses. NJGCA leaned on some of our friends in the Assembly and literally had the bill pulled off the floor on the day it was scheduled to be voted on. Our friends in the Legislature helped us get this accomplished.
NJGCA made history and led the charge to pass the most comprehensive protection of franchisees in decades with FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL legislation. FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL passed only because NJGCA and dealers throughout the state were able to lean on several friends in the Assembly and the Senate.
NJGCA has been rallying support for RIGHT TO REPAIR over the last two years among key legislators. This would end the practice of car manufacturers denying you the codes necessary to complete the repairs you make on your customers cars. Every state has tried to pass RIGHT TO REPAIR and no state has even been able to get the legislation out of committee. Because of our friends in the Legislature, NJGCA has been successful in getting this bill passed by the Assembly and now awaits a vote in the Senate.
I am asking some of you as individuals to make a contribution and attend a fundraising event sponsored by one of our friends in the Assembly.
However, we will not be able to host events for all of our friends, so the NJGCA PAC will have to make contributions. You will be receiving letters soon from the NJGCA PAC asking you to make contributions.
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.
MBP BUSINESS SEMINARS BY AFFINITY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Affinity Federal Credit Union, an NJGCA Member Benefit Partner, is offering a number of classes designed specifically to help small business owners.
Some of these classes include:
•Managing Money Wisely
•Career Navigation in a Pink Slip Economy.
•Kean University Small Business Counseling Sessions
•Entrepreneur Certificate Program (ECP)
•Accounting and QuickBooks Certificate
•Small Business Seminars
•And much more!
Take advantage of this opportunity! Click HERE to visit the Calendar of Events on the Affinity homepage and sign up for a class!
Pleas contact Phil Apruzzi with any questions or comments at 973-376-0066.
AMERICAN EQUIPMENT FINANCE (AEF), LLC
AEF will work with you to finance used and new equipment for your Gas Station, C-Store & Car Wash.
We can provide you with financing from $15,000 to $500,000. AEF has flexible terms from 12-84 months. AEF can assist you in the following areas: Underground Tanks-Construction-Excavation-Installation, Dispensers/Pumps, Canopies, CardSystems, Vapor Recovery Systems, Coffee Machines, Showcases Refrigeration, Signage, POS Systems, Tunnels, Vacuums, Water Systems, Polishing–In-Bay, and Self Serve.
American Equipment Finance will save your business time, money and taxes.
Our finance associates can help you select the right lease or finance structure for your company’s needs. Credit decisions are usually provided in 24 hours.
NJGCA Members ONLY discounts applied.
Contact Len Baccaro at (908) 542-9330 or email him at www.aefllc.com
NEWS AROUND THE STATE
1/21/2010:
New polls shows support for teacher merit pay, easier dismissal
A new poll by Quinnipiac University found that 66% of respondents support teacher merit pay and support making firing bad teachers easier. New Governor Christie and Commission of Education-designate Bret Schundler are both proponents of merit pay and school choice.
1/20/2010:
Executive order extends pay-to-play regulations and curbs union political donations
Governor Christie signed an executive order curbing pay-to-play by limiting political donations by unions. The move brings union donations in line with other business entities such as law and engineering firms. The executive director of the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission hailed the move while union leaders criticized the measure.
1/20/2010:
Christie signs pro-business executive orders, finds bigger budget shortfall
New Jersey’s new Governor, Chris Christie, began his tenure in office by signing a number of executive orders aimed to reforming business regulations and address budget concerns. Chief among them was an order to freeze new regulations on businesses and discovering an additional $1 billion budget shortfall.
1/16/2010:
NJGCA in the News: Risalvato comments on start-over for Right to Repair
NJGCA found success in passing the Right to Repair Act in the NJ General Assembly last legislative session -- the first time it has passed a state legislative body nation-wide. However, as a new legislative session has just begun, NJGCA and all repair shops must begin again to fight for the passage of Right to Repair. See what Sal had to say on Right to Repair at the link above.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES IN OUR “NEWS AROUND THE STATE” ARCHIVE
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