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October 9, 2009
GREETINGS AND SAL-UTATIONS!
Dear NJGCA Member:
TAXES AND ELECTIONS: KNOWING THE ISSUES
If you’ve been reading the papers and watching the news, you know that this is a big election year in New Jersey. In a little less than a month, we will be voting not only on who will be our next Governor, but we’ll also elect members to the General Assembly, various county Freeholders, and local municipal elected officials.
As both a resident and small business owner, you will have unique perspective on those we elect to these offices. After all you are in a distinct position to not only see how current policies affect you locally as a home owner, but how it affects your establishment and the business community.
Election Day is November 3rd, but please also keep a few other important dates in mind.
The deadline to register to vote (if you haven’t done so already) is Tuesday, October 13th. You must be registered in order to vote on November 3rd. Luckily registering is easier than ever thanks to the internet. The New Jersey Division of Elections has established a website at www.njelections.org which can help answer your questions and get you registered with minimal fuss.
If you know for certain that you need to register, click HERE to visit the ‘How to Register’ webpage.
Additionally, if you believe that you can’t get away from your business to vote on November 3rd, you have the option to vote by mail. In years past, there were certain obstacles to obtaining a ballot if you couldn’t make it to the polls on Election Day. But thanks to revisions in the law, the State has made it easier than ever to vote by mail.
To obtain a Mail Ballot, you must be registered to vote and drop the ballot in the mail seven days prior to the election. This year, this means your ballot should be in the mail by October 27th to have it counted. You may also apply in person at your County Clerk’s Office until 3pm the day before the election. To find out more about voting by mail, click HERE for further details.
Last but not least, be sure to know in advance where your polling location is before Election Day. Oftentimes, people set aside time during their day to run out and vote, but don’t know where they have to go. Click HERE To find your local polling location to avoid any complications on Election Day.
Regardless of how you feel about specific problems, remember the importance of being educated on the issues before you cast your vote. Politicians stay in office for years; making a poor selection today will undoubtedly affect you tomorrow.
So how do you know who to vote for? Ultimately it is a personal decision - but to gauge what an individual will do in the future, one must be careful to scrutinize what policies they have supported in the past before making you choice.
So what are some of these hot button topics? What issues have been controversial in the past? Well, we have sent you countless communications on issues like Paid Family Leave, excessive bonding and borrowing, increasing income taxes, raising taxes on cigarettes and liquor, increase in health insurance premiums, and public employee pension reform among others.
These issues – and others – not only directly affect your business, but affect the financial health of residents and tax payers. Put another way, the more the State takes from potential customers, the less they have to spend at your establishment. That means that by helping ALL residents, you are also helping the business community.
One group that’s helping to bring greater awareness to these problems is the New Jersey Taxpayers Alliance. Headed up by the NJ Taxpayers Association, the Alliance is a non-partisan, grass-roots organization made up of civic and business leaders, and is dedicated to tax reform in New Jersey.
NJGCA is a proud member of the Alliance and we’ve been working with the organization promote sound fiscal policies in New Jersey. You can visit their website HERE
The Alliance has compiled a Legislative Report Card and lists initiatives and policies that it feels are either beneficial or harmful to taxpayers. These issues – such as Paid Family Leave, income tax increases, and a hike on health insurance premiums – are important to ALL businesses in New Jersey.
As we did last year, we will be sending you the NJGCA Voter Guide in the coming weeks with issues important to businesses in OUR industry. However, it is equally important to be aware of how these issues affect the business community as a whole.
Be on the look out for the Voter Guide in helping you decide who to vote for on November 3rd.
As an additional reminder, if you haven’t done so already, please take a few moments to complete the NJGCA Online Survey.
Click HERE to read the Events & Announcements e-newsletter with instructions on how to view and take the survey. For anyone who has forgotten their member number, please contact Phil Apruzzi at NJGCA Headquarters.
Thanks for listening - See you next week!
Regards,
Sal Risalvato
Executive Director
IN THIS WEEK’S NJGCA ROAD WARRIOR
ATTENTION SERVICE STATIONS: SAVE ON FILL CAP STENCILS
•Save money on Fill Cap Stencils with this great offer from E.O. Habhegger, Inc!
POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
•Participate in the NJGCA PAC today and help us keep our Agenda rolling in Trenton!
UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!
•Take your inspector Refresher Course with NJGCA! November and December classes added!
BUSINESS TOOLS: Great Savings for NJGCA Members!
•Want to SAVE MORE money on your business expenses? Take advantage of our MBPs!
BUSINESS TOOLS: PH2 SOLUTIONS
•Diagnose check engine lifghts before they appear! A GREAT tool for your shop!
NJ GREEN AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR COUNCIL
•Take advantage of this program and get recognized for your "green" credentials!
NEWS AROUND THE STATE
•Is a property tax backlash coming?
•Tax advocates want revisions to collective bargaining process
•Small business owners turn to the internet, social networking sites for promotions
•Oversight of NJ State Police is concluded
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
ATTENTION SERVICE STATIONS: SAVE ON FILL CAP STENCILS
NJGCA has worked out an agreement with E.O. Habhegger, Inc to provide universal fill-cap stencils at a reduced price for all Members.
The stencils are offered in plastic and durable steel; both are re-useable.
Product Name List Price September Sale Price for NJGCA Members
RM-Template-P $87.50 $78.75
RM-Template-S $120.00 $108.00
Additionally, E.O. Habhegger also has fill pipe tags available that can be purchased to be placed around the fill ports for additional protection. These run only about $10.00, per tag.
If anyone would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please contact Patrick Coan at 215.313.7358 to place an order.
For any additional questions or concerns, please call Debbie Hill.
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.
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.
UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!
Due to overwhelming demand, NJGCA has added additional classes in November and December. As you know, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has recently sent out a VID message to all Private Inspection Stations in state.
All currently licensed Inspectors must complete an Inspector refresher course and pass a general knowledge exam with a grade of 80% or better to remain in the program. If any test-taker answers 11 questions wrong, they will automatically fail. A hands-on test for licensed Inspectors will not be required.
Inspectors will have until December 31, 2009 to take and pass the test.
Current Licensed Emission Inspectors only need the “Re-Fresher Course” and the “Written Exam”. New Emission Inspectors will be given a “Hands On” test separately at your place of employment by the State of New Jersey.
NJGCA will be offering refresher courses at the following two locations. Classes will take place over five evenings and one afternoon:
NJGCA Headquarters
66 Morris Avenue
Springfield, NJ 07087
November: 3, 5, 10, 12, 17 and 19th
NJGCA Headquarters
66 Morris Avenue
Springfield, NJ 07087
December: 1, 3, 8, 10 15 and 17th
NJGCA Members Cost - $349.00
Non-Members Cost - $489.00
Manuals are included in the prices above and payment is due upon registration. All classes are 6:45 pm to 10:00 pm; the “Written Exam” will be given on the last day at 12:00pm at NJGCA Headquarters in Springfield, NJ.
If you are interested, please contact our office to enroll in a class.
Please contact Debbie Hill at 973-376-0066 with any questions.
BUSINESS TOOLS: Great Savings for NJGCA Members!
In a difficult economy, EVERYONE wants to SAVE as much as possible!
Luckily NJGCA has just what you need to save you a bundle!!
Take a look at the list below for some of our MBP products and services – And start saving TODAY!
•Garage Liability Insurance: Get great coverage and earn a dividend for qualified location. Also offering your employees discounts insurance products (home, auto, etc).
•Workmen's Compensation Coverage: Save 5-15% upfront AND year end dividends!
•Blue Cross/Blue Shield: Get excellent health insurance coverage at Association rates! Customize your healthcare and save even more!
•Credit Card Processing: Reduce your costs by 15-30% today! And best of all, you probably don't have to move or change processors!
•Commercial and Personal lending specialists
•Equipment and Acquisition Financing
•Collection Agency Services at discounted rates
•Credit Restoration Services
•Phone Service 20-30% lower than Verizon or AT&T
•Computer and Office Supplies
•Industry Specific Business Consulting
•Environmental Remediation, Testing and Consulting
•Pump and Tank Contractors to stay in state compliance
•Service Station Supply Contractors, include Bulk Oil
•Automotive Tools, Scanners, Shop Equipment, Lifts at great prices
•Coin Operated Air/Vacuum Machines - Installed Completely Free
AND BEST OF ALL: AN ADVOCATE IN TRENTON FIGHTING FOR YOUR RIGHTS AND LIVELIHOOD FOR $1.23 A DAY!
All Quotes are FREE - BUT ONLY NJGCA MEMBERS can partake in the Savings.
Call Phil Apruzzi at 973-376-0066 to get quotes on all these MBP services and start saving today!!
BUSINESS TOOLS: PH2 SOLUTIONS
Let Nu-Path Logic® diagnostic software ( www.ph2solutions.com ) help expand your emission repair business and add value to customers by offering their failed vehicle “same-day” diagnosis, repair and successful re-inspection service. Experience how Nu-Path: slashes the diagnostic time and effort your current tools require; accurately detects failures before Check Engine Lights appear; validates repairs with a quick automated 15 minute readiness drive cycle process. To schedule a demonstration and see if you’re eligible for a software trial, contact Gloria Cowart at: 973-902-5517.
NJ GREEN AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR COUNCIL
NJGCA is participating in the NJ Green Automotive Repair Council along with AAA-NJ, the NJ Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJCAR), and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.
The council's mission is to encourage NJ automotive repair facilities to adopt environmentally responsible business practices.
Through a certification program for dealership and independent automotive repair facilities, the council will also establish “green” repair standards. Those who are reviewed and qualify will receive certification. Stickers will also be given to those facilities to illustrate their participation in the program.
If you would like to participate in the program and fill out an application, please contact Debbie Hill at 973-376-0066. An application fee and annual review fee are applicable.
More facts about the program are available www.njgreenautorepair.org
NEWS AROUND THE STATE
10/5/2009:
Is a property tax backlash coming?
A New York Times article explores property taxes in the Northeast and specifically investigates how rising property taxes are affecting residents in New Jersey. Click above to read this extensive report.
10/1/2009:
Tax advocates want revisions to collective bargaining process
A report in the Home News Tribune and Courier News looks at how collective bargaining agreements in schools are helping to drive up the education costs. Officials from school boards and teachers’ unions in New Jersey are at odds over how the system should be fixed while taxpayers are eager to see costs kept in line.
10/1/2009:
Small business owners turn to the internet, social networking sites for promotions
A growing number of small business owners are running marketing and promotional campaigns on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace as a means of reaching potential customers, a Wall Street Journal article reports. Many are finding internet marketing to no only be cheaper than traditional mail and advertising, but just as effective.
9/21/2009:
Oversight of NJ State Police is concluded
After a decade of observation, a federal judge has ended the federal monitoring of the New Jersey State Police. The monitoring program was implemented after allegations of racial profiling rocked law enforcements circles in the late 1990s.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES IN OUR “NEWS AROUND THE STATE” ARCHIVE
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