MONMOUTH POLL FINDS GROWING APPROVAL IN SELF-SERVE MESSAGE NJGCA 2022 SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION DEALING WITH AMT HEALTH COVERAGE PREMIUM INCREASE PLASTIC BAG BAN LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY - ARE YOU PREPARED? EPA WILL ALLOW MORE ETHANOL IN GAS THIS SUMMER IN BID TO TAME PRICES HAPPY EASTER AND PASSOVER SELF-SERVE POLL Our message is continuing to spread and get attention. The debate continues in Trenton. We started the debate and have kept it going for six weeks now. Monmouth University, which is one of the more reliable and credible polling entities in New Jersey, and are well respected by legislators and the Governor, felt compelled recently to do a thorough poll on the subject. Here's what they found: - Over half of the public (54%) supports allowing self-service gas in the state as long as stations are still required to keep an attendant on duty for full service (our proposal mandates that larger gas station be required to offer full serve for certain hours during the day)
- If offered the choice of self-service versus a full-service option that cost 15 cents more per gallon, 70% of New Jerseyans say they would pump their own gas at the lower price.
We have been hammering the message that this is about a choice and we continue to highlight the fact that there will be a savings at the pump for those who choose to pump their own gas. This poll proves that our message is getting out. If you would like to read the press release we recently sent out to the media on the Monmouth poll, click HERE. This data is important for our overall message with the recent news that Senate President Scutari wouldn't move the self-serve choice bill because he thinks the public is not in favor. The findings of this poll proves otherwise and we hope that with the correct and clear messaging, we can persuade public and legislative opinion. We are also looking for gas station owners to volunteer to offer to participate in a "self-serve awareness day" by lowering their price for a day by whatever amount they would lower it if they were able to offer self-serve pumps, and posting signs and giving handouts to customers. Signs at the location would indicate why the price was lowered for that day. We will provide the signs for locations that make the commitment to participate. If you are interested, please contact Eric at eric@njgca.org NJGCA SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Last year, NJGCA awarded four scholarships to children of NJGCA members and the children of employees NJGCA members. A total of $10,000 was awarded with $5000 being contributed thanks to the generosity of Utica Insurance. Utica Insurance is the insurance company that insures many NJGCA members. The contribution was arranged by NJGCA MBP Amato Agency. Once again Utica has contributed $5000 towards a scholarship that is to be awarded to a student attending an automotive technical school or studying automotive technology. The NJGCA Board of Directors has also approved participation in additional awards. Be on the lookout for an email that will enable you to complete the scholarship application online. Each NJGCA member will be entitled to submit ONE application that will be reviewed by the scholarship committee. Applicants may be either the child of a member or the child of an employee that works for the NJGCA member. More details on completing the application will follow soon. DEALING WITH AMT HEALTH COVERAGE PREMIUM INCREASE Health coverage premiums have been increasing dramatically amongst all insurers in recent months, and the NJGCA program with Association Member Trust is no different. Recently, AMT sent notices to participating NJGCA members explaining that there would be a mid-year increase in health care premiums. It is highly unusual for premium increases to be made mid-year. However, all health insurers have begun to see unusually large claims as a lingering result of the COVID pandemic. AMT has been evaluating the situation for the past few months and has determined that in order to maintain the strong financial position that our self-funded trust has always enjoyed, this mid-year premium increase must be implemented. I have received calls from many members about this. There are two actions that I encourage NJGCA members to take, and both require you to do some homework. First thing to do is to contact AMT to discuss options that are available that will help to lower the cost of your health care premiums. AMT has provided this option in the letter that was sent to you. Often small business owners explore these options on a regular basis to ensure that they are purchasing the most cost effective health coverage for their families and their employees. The second homework task is to contact me at sal@njgca.org. I have been exploring other options for NJGCA members so that you can be referred to other choices that come with a recommendation and the confidence that you will be dealing with a reputable representative of an alternate competing health coverage plan. Costs will be rising on all of your expenses and one of the objectives of the NJGCA staff is to try to assist you to find the best alternatives to all of the products and services that your business requires. We put an enormous effort in to finding the best choices for you to explore. Remember, first contact AMT to see how they can lower your costs, and second contact me at sal@njgca.org to discuss another option that I have been investigating for you. REMINDER: PLASTIC BAG AND STYROFOAM BAN EFFECTIVE MAY 4 This date is approaching fast, and given the significance of this change and how it affects every retail business in this state, you want to be prepared now, particularly with the supply chain issues we've all seen the last two years. As part of legislation that was passed and signed into law in November 2020, on May 4th a variety of restrictions will come into effect dealing with bags and Styrofoam products. All single-use plastic carryout bags will be banned at all retail stores in the state. Single-use paper bags will still be allowed, but only for convenience stores under 2,500 square feet and businesses that do not sell food. Paper bags are generally more expensive than plastic bags, and c-stores under 2,500 sq. ft. are free to choose not to provide them at all and instead ask customers to either go bagless or purchase a reusable carryout bag. Stores could also charge a small fee for a paper bag if they wished to. Reusable carryout bags are defined as a bag that "(1) is made of polypropylene, PET nonwoven fabric, nylon, cloth, hemp product, or other machine washable fabric; (2) has stitched handles; and (3) is designed and manufactured for multiple reuse." We encourage you to stock some of these bags for sale to customers. There are several small exemptions to the plastic bag ban: a bag used solely to contain uncooked meat or fish, a bag used to package loose items like fruit, nuts, coffee, candy, flowers, small hardware items, etc., a bag used to contain food sliced or prepared to order including soup or hot food, a newspaper bag. Also banned are most food packaging products made of expanded polystyrene foam, commonly known as Styrofoam. This includes drink cups and food containers. There are several exceptions: disposable long-handled foam soda spoons used for thick drinks, portion cups 2oz or less, trays for raw meat or fish, and food that was prepackaged by the manufacturer with Styrofoam. One benefit of this law is that once it goes into effect it totally overrides all local rules and ordinances covering these items, so if your local government had either prohibited paper bags or required your store to charge a fee for them, they will no longer be required to do so. Also, the penalty for violating any provision of this law is a warning for the first offense. The State has also set up a dedicated webpage for business owners covering these rules, which includes a list of vendors and distributors who sell approved reusable bags. MORE ETHANOL IN GAS THIS SUMMER On Tuesday President Biden announced that in response to high gas prices the EPA would be temporarily suspending its rule which prevents gasoline that is 15% ethanol (E15) from being sold between June 1 and September 15. The higher blend of ethanol (regular gasoline is already 10% ethanol) is more volatile and can increase smog in the higher temperatures of the summer, which is why for the last decade there has been a rule in place preventing its sale during those months. This change though is unlikely to have an impact here in NJ for a variety of reasons. For one, E15 cannot be used in motor vehicles older than MY 2001, in motorcycles, nor in small engines like lawn mowers. If a station were to replace regular gas with E15 it would in effect give up all that business. In most states a sign on the pump could warn customers what not to use E15 for, but with full-serve only a station could be liable if their attendant did not give a customer a warning before pumping E15 that later does damage to an unapproved engine. There are some other regulations a station would have to comply with if they wanted to sell E15 as well, and they would likely have to make some upgrades to the station. This is also only a temporary waiver, it still seems likely that the usual summer ban will be back in effect next year. This also makes it unlikely that many distributors will even offer E15 if a station wanted it. The advantages of E15 are that it costs about 10ยข a gallon less than regular gas yet also has a slightly higher octane level. About 3% of the country's stations currently sell E15, though most are in the Midwest near the cornfields and ethanol plants. You can read more info about E15 HERE and HERE. Finally, I want to wish our membership that observe the holidays a happy Easter and Passover. I hope you are all able to safely celebrate with your families. Be Well - Sal Risalvato
Executive Director |
