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Road Warrior Newsletter

November 10, 2016

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:
• Credit Card Interchange Fees; Election Recap; Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno Joins NJGCA at November 30th Gas and C-Store Summit; Upcoming Issues: Stage II Vapor Recovery and Price Gouging in State of Emergencies 

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

N.J. business community applauds TTF ballot question approval
Editorial -- HAHN: End self-service gas ban to help offset tax hike
Will out-of-state drivers continue buying NJ gas? Big problem if they don’t...

TRAINING CLASS SCHEDULE!
• ETEP Section 10/ASE L3 (Hybrids) -- Date: To Be Determined

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNER MESSAGE BOARD
• ATS Environmental: Confidence in your Tank & Compliance Testing

• Bellomo Fuel: Exceptional Service, Aggressive Petroleum Marketing
Gill Energy: Getting you There!
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!

MAKING PROGRESS ON CREDIT CARD INTERCHANGE FEES
ELECTION RECAP AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
LT. GOV. KIM GUADAGNO TO JOIN NJGCA AT GAS STATION & C-STORE SUMMIT
UPCOMING ISSUES: STAGE II VAPOR RECOVERY AND PRICE GOUGING/STATE OF EMERGENCIES
 
It’s been a while since we last talked about credit card interchange fees. Eric and I, along with our friends at the Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey (FMANJ) have been diligently, yet quietly, meeting with legislators to drum up support for A-752, a bill which we had introduced and is intended to bring about a reduction in the credit card fees you pay in your repair shops, at your gas pumps and in your c-stores. Those of you who pay attention already know that the part of your credit card fee which is charged by your processor has been extremely competitive for the last 10 years, and you see solicitations about rate reductions all the time.  But the other part of your credit card fee, called interchange, which is charged by MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover, has not been reduced and has actually increased.

This is because interchange rates are “take it or leave it.”  You cannot negotiate with the major credit card companies.  The best you can do is not accept their cards, and we all know that more customers use credit cards than do cash.  We’ve worked for several years to pass legislation to end the credit card companies’ monopoly on fees.  It would be impossible and wrong to attempt to statutorily limit, lower or reduce these interchange fees, but free enterprise dictates that the credit card companies should at least be subject to the same competition for your business as anybody else. 

Because the banking and credit card networks are very complicated, we've had lengthy sessions with individual legislators in their offices over the past two years to educate them on how the system works and what the proposed legislation would do. Because of the strong ground work we have laid, we believe that we will see a vote taken in the legislature before the end of the year.  The major banks and credit card companies have recently recognized our accomplishments and have been waging a battle of their own behind the scenes with the same legislators that have already agreed to support us on the bill.  We will continue to keep you updated as events unfold.
 
Next, with regard to the election which just took place, you are all aware of how the Presidential Race ended, I’m sure. No need to comment on that... However, there were many other issues which will have important consequences.  I’ll provide a brief recap, and if you have any questions, concerns or comment, feel free to reach out to the office at 732-256-9646.

To begin, Trump’s victory did not occur in isolation... there was a red wave throughout the nation that gave Republicans in Congress a renewed position of strength. The Presidency and both houses of Congress will be controlled by the same party for the first time since 2010 and the first time the Republicans have controlled it since 2006.  After years of gridlock, we may see significant changes come out of DC.
 
It is likely that ObamaCare, and its employer mandate, will be repealed and replaced with...something to be determined. Republicans in Congress published a fairly detailed tax reform proposal during the summer that went mostly un-discussed in the campaign, but it included many provisions that would benefit business owners of all sizes. The federal estate tax also seems like a target of repeal, it currently affects estates over $5.45 million.
 
It also seems very likely that our own Governor Christie will be given some position in Washington DC. Should he resign, Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno (R) -- NJGCA's Keynote Speaker at the November 30th Gas Station and C-Store Summit -- will take his place for the next year before running for a full term in November 2017.  In her position as Lt. Gov., she has been a consistent friend of business owners in the state.
 
Here in New Jersey, voters did pass “Question 2”, which will dedicate all revenues collected from fuel taxes to transportation spending. This seemingly simple idea was targeted in the last month of the campaign by a lot of confusion and disinformation. Had it failed, there was a very real chance it would have led to a second gas tax increase and/or even more debt, so we were relieved to see it pass.
 
There were several ballot measures in other states that affect some of legislative fights here in New Jersey.  What happens in other states can often have implications here, as advocates and opponents point to the passage or failure of these efforts elsewhere as evidence for why we need to do the same here.

Four states had cigarette tax hikes on the ballot and, somewhat surprisingly, three of them voted against the increase. Missouri, North Dakota, and Colorado all rejected big tax increases while California voted in favor.
 
Despite heavy spending by the soft drink industry, four cities voted to pass a tax on soda and other sugary drinks. San Francisco, Oakland, and Albany (CA) as well as Boulder (CO) now join Philadelphia in levying this tax.
 
Four states approved increases in the minimum wage. Arizona, Colorado, Maine, and Washington will all increase their minimum wage to $12 an hour, phased in over a few years. Voters in South Dakota soundly defeated a plan to allow those under 18 to be paid less than the minimum wage.
 
California voters have also narrowly approved a ban on single use plastic bags. From now on, retailers can't give away any kind of bags to their customers, but must charge at least 10¢ for recycled paper bags or reusable bags.
 
One issue that may be coming to NJ in 2018 is some form of marijuana legalization. California, Nevada, and Massachusetts all voted to legalize pot, while Arizona narrowly voted against it and Maine’s vote is still too close to call (though legalization is ahead). Massachusetts’ vote is particularly important as it is the first state east of the Mississippi to pass legalization, which already exists in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Colorado. Marijuana is, however, still illegal on the federal level, and in theory the new President would be able to send in federal agents to shut it all down, if he chooses.
 
Next, though I aleady briefly mentioned it in the section above, I'm thrilled to announce that we received confirmation this week that
Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno will give the Keynote Address at our Gas and C-Store Summit on Nov. 30th!!!! I can't believe the event is less than three weeks away! The Lieutenant Governor has overseen the small business aspect of the Christie Administration for the past 7 years, and has been especially integral in helping us work towards an elimination of Stage II Vapor Recovery.  As the second-highest ranking official in the State of New Jersey, it is a great honor to secure some of the Lieutenant Governor’s time so that she can join us at the Summit. In addition to the Lieutenant Governor’s keynote address, we will have presentations from DEP, Weights and Measures and OSHA, in addition to programs by NJGCA MBPs on credit card issues (such as transition to EMV, skimming and security, etc.) and UST insurance.  Click HERE for the second postcard we recently sent out in the mail, or click HERE when you are ready to register!
 
Finally, there are several other things which we’ve been working on that I keep failing to discuss. In the next few weeks, look for an update on what we have been doing with regard to elimination of Stage II Vapor Recovery, and also another complicated situation which has required quiet, behind the scenes work for the last two years, which deals with price gouging and states of emergency.  I will fill you in further in the upcoming weeks. 


Thanks for reading -- See you all next week!

Sal Risalvato
Executive Director 

                                                                                                                                                         

TRAINING CLASSES!!

All classes held at NJGCA HQ -- 4900 Route 33 West, Wall Township, NJ 07753


** IMPORTANT** New Training Option!!

Hybrid/Electric Technologies -- ETEP Section 10 / ASE L3
This is a ONE DAY Class!

If there is anyone who needs JUST this one section, please reach out to NJGCA.  We are trying to put one ETEP Section 10 / ASE L3 class on the schedule... but we need to know how much interest there is first.

Please call Debbie Hill at NJGCA if you are interested
732-256-9646 or debbie@njgca.org

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


11/09/2016:
N.J. business community applauds TTF ballot question approval
On Tuesday, a majority of NJ residents voted to approve a ballot box measure that will dedicate all gas tax revenue to the state's TTF through a constitutional amendment. Despite vocal opposition from Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and others in recent weeks, the question garnered 54% support, outperforming the 46% of voters who opposed it. “The voters of New Jersey have taken a critical step,” said NJ Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Tom Bracken. “Tonight, they said loud and clear that they want their tax dollars to go exactly where they expect them to go. By approving this amendment, they have constitutionally committed billions of dollars over the next eight years to fix our roads, bridges and commuter trains. They've helped put NJ on the right track.” Bracken also chairs Forward NJ, a coalition of business groups that aimed to find a funding fix for the TTF. “Forward NJ came together to advocate for a long-term, sustainable, reliable and constitutionally dedicated source of funding for the TTF. That goal has now been achieved,” he said. “I want to commend the hard work and dedication of all our coalition members. For well over two years, they committed to working every day to ensuring NJ had the kind of solution it needed on the TTF."
 
11/08/2016:
Editorial -- HAHN: End self-service gas ban to help offset tax hike
Gas got a lot more expensive for NJ drivers who woke to a 23¢ per gallon increase in the gas tax on Nov. 1.  Is there a way to soften the blow for them, especially commuters who will likely pay on average $17-$22 more per month for small cars to $28-$55 more per month for larger vehicles? There sure is — ending the state’s ban on self-service gasoline. Unfortunately, politics and faulty economics stand in the way. Senate President Steve Sweeney, who controls what bills come to the Senate floor, said in August that he is against the ending the ban on self-service gasoline because “[t]he retailers are controlling the numbers. All you’re doing is increasing their profit. You won’t see the savings because it just disappears.” That is nothing short of flawed economic reasoning. Price savings are passed to consumers in highly competitive markets and the retail gasoline market in NJ has all of the required elements: a large number of stations owned by small businesses, transparency through posted prices and a homogeneous product. Moreover, apps like GasBuddy help consumers overcome informational barriers by allowing consumers to see prices beyond the particular roads they travel. The market for retail gasoline in NJ is about as competitive as one can get and ripe for cost savings to be passed on to consumers. If this tax increase does not cause Trenton to reconsider its ban on self-service gasoline, it is hard to imagine what will. Perhaps it is time to consider redress before the courts.
 
11/04/2016:
Will out-of-state drivers continue buying NJ gas? Big problem if they don’t...
NJ’s gas tax was raised 23¢ a gallon on November 1, but the tax could go up again next year if the amount of gas sold decreases. Some experts predict that is exactly what will happen. Siamack Shojai, the dean of the William Paterson University Cotsakos College of Business, said that before the gas tax hike, the price differential between NJ and NY was more than 40¢ a gallon, so drivers on the other side of the Hudson had a real incentive to come to the Garden State to fill up their tanks, especially those living outside NYC who could cross the Tappan Zee Bridge, where the toll is about $5. Traveling into NJ via the GW Bridge or going through the Lincoln or Holland tunnels costs $15, but Shojai said many New Yorkers were willing to make the trip if they drove a lot because ultimately they could still save a significant amount of money. Now, however, with the cost of gas up 23¢ a gallon in NJ, that’s no longer the case. He pointed out now the savings is in the 10 to 15-cent-a-gallon range, so “the fact that you have wear and tear on your car, you face a lot of traffic, it’s not that convenient.” Shojai noted if New Yorkers work in NJ or have to go through the Garden State on a regular basis to get to another location, they may make a point of stopping for gas here. He said some Pennsylvania residents may continue to fill up in NJ because it remains a bit cheaper here, about 10 to 15 cents-a-gallon compared to many locations near the Delaware River in Pennsylvania. But in certain areas, “gas prices in Pennsylvania may be even lower than in NJ now.”

                                                                                                                                                                  

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 weeks. NJGCA will begin including this list with the Weekly Road Warrior.  Remember, these prices are for reflective of self-serve everywhere except NJ.