Legislation Advances To Curb Vehicle And Catalytic Converter Thefts
New Jersey Has The Worst Business Tax Climate Nationwide
NJGCA Visits Exxon HQ
Marketplace Update
Crime Update
MBP Survey: Last Day to Enter to Win an Amazon Gift Card!
Healthcare Reminder
Catalytic Converter Thefts
Four bills were advanced this week in the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee with the goal of reducing vehicle thefts in the state. Eric was in Trenton on Monday to testify in favor of one of the pieces of legislation that will hopefully lead to a reduction in the problem of catalytic converter thefts. The bill, which already passed the state senate unanimously, would make it harder for thieves to sell the converters while not excessively burdening genuine auto repair shops. Catalytic converter thefts have increased nationwide from about 1,300 incidents per year in 2018 to over 52,000 in 2021. NJGCA thanks longtime member Frank Resta for taking the time to come to Trenton, testifying in favor of the legislation, sharing the impact that these thefts are having on the motoring public, and reinforcing that small business repair shops are looking out for the consumer. The bill passed the Assembly committee and now needs to be voted on by the full assembly. Hopefully this will pass before the end of the year. You can watch Eric and Frank testify HERE, by skipping to 2:02:00 in, and you can read the testimony NJGCA submitted HERE.
NJ Worst Business Tax Climate
If you feel like our state is not helpful to businesses, you are clearly not alone. A study published by the Tax Foundation found that New Jersey is the state with the worst business tax climate in the country. This follows up another recently released survey from the NJ Business & industry Association (NJBIA)that found 75% of business owners believe the state’s leaders have fallen short in improving affordability for businesses and 82% saying the state is unaffordable for companies. This only highlights how important membership is in a trade association that stands up for your interests in Trenton and D.C. Based on what we have heard from our frequent trips to Trenton over the last decade, things would be far worse without the loud voices of the business community. Additionally, if you weren’t already aware, NJGCA has a political action committee (PAC) that raises money to support legislative candidates that will support our businesses. You can donate to that by completing this form and mailing a check to our office. Thank you to all who have already donated this year.
NJGCA Visits ExxonMobil Research HQ
Earlier this week, NJGCA was invited along with some members to take a tour of the ExxonMobil research facility in Hunterdon County. The worldwide ExxonMobil research headquarters are located here in New Jersey on a massive campus with nearly 700 scientists working full-time researching everything from high performance motor oil, advanced biofuels, hydrogen energy, and more.
Marketplace Update
This week, wholesale gas prices are continuing to plummet. According to OPIS, the average rack price has dropped about 90 cents in the last month, though retail prices have only dropped around 30 cents. Thankfully, this means a lot of stations are making good margins right now. Hopefully you are one of them! Times like this you need to hold your margins since there is already speculation that these low prices won’t last very long once we move into 2023. Making higher margins now helps you survive when the wholesale prices are skyrocketing.
Crime
In other states, business owners are taking much more extreme measures to prevent crime. We recently came across a story about a gas station owner in Philadelphia who was so fed up with break-ins and threats that he hired armed security guards to patrol the station. The Pennsylvania S.I.T.E Agents can be seen wearing Kevlar vests and don AR-15s or shotguns as weapons. The business owner informed the press that his business is now free of loitering and other crime. Some were intimidated by the armed men, but other customers welcomed the increase in security. Crime problems in Philadelphia have gotten so bad that even Wawa was forcedto permanently close two of its stores and reduce hours for several others. Thankfully so far these problems are not spilling over the riverinto our state, but be sure to let us know if that trend changes.
MBP Survey
Time is running out! You have one more day to complete the survey and enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card! Click HERE to access the survey.
Earlier this year, you should have received the 2022 NJGCA Member Benefit Partner Brochure, which provides information about all of the companies/businesses/vendors that have partnered with NJGCA to provide our members with the highest quality products and services.
Now, it's time for you to tell us what you think! Our updated survey takes less than five minutes, and the information and feedback that you provide will help us tailor our Member Benefit Partners program to best suit the needs of our membership. If you also use companies which are not currently NJGCA MBPs that you are happy with, please let us know so we can determine if there are any businesses that we would like to partner with in the future.
This year, we are excited to announce a giveaway tied to our survey. All NJGCA members who complete the survey will be able to enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card. We will randomly select four winners on December 9th who will receive a gift card by email.
If you haven’t finished your application, make sure you do so now as we are nearing the end of open enrollment. To have the plan start on January 1st, the information needs to be submitted in the next week. Almost everyone who has looked into this new option has been given quotes that save thousands of dollars per year. Don’t lose out on this opportunity to save. Getting a quote is easy, click HERE to find out more.
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!
Who Drives Electric Cars? The Places In NJ With The Most EVs There were around 80,000 electric vehicles on the road in New Jersey as of mid-2022, now accounting for more than one of every 100 vehicles in the state, according to state data. . . The most popular EV maker, by far, was Tesla, whose 44,544 vehicles made up 55% of all the electric vehicles in the state as of the end of June. Those included 21,096 of the Model 3; 14,275 of the Model Y; 5,458 of the Model S; and 3,692 of the Model X. . . EVs make up 2% of vehicles registered in Somerset County, their highest share in the state. They are least common in South Jersey and northwestern New Jersey – in fact, accounting for six times more vehicles in Somerset than in Cumberland County.
12/6/22
How Bad Are Car Thefts In New Jersey? The Real Numbers For 2022 Car theft totals have begun to recede in New Jersey, still up 9% through November compared to the same point in 2021 but dropping since August when compared to the same months one year earlier. There were 14,322 car thefts reported in New Jersey over the first 11 months of the year, 41% above the record low in 2020, New Jersey State Police Maj. Lawrence Williams told the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee at a hearing Monday. That includes 3,903 thefts of high-end cars valued at $30,000 or more, up from 3,183 through the first 11 months of 2021 and 2,186 in the same period in 2020. “Bad news, there’s a lot of auto theft,” Williams said. “Good news is what we’re doing is reducing the amount of auto thefts.”
Apple has scaled back ambitious self-driving plans for its future electric vehicle and postponed the car’s target launch date by about a year to 2026, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The car project, called Titan inside the company, has been in limbo for the past several months as Apple executives grappled with the reality that its vision for a fully autonomous vehicle — without a steering wheel or pedals — isn’t feasible with current technology. In a significant shift for the project, the company is now planning a less-ambitious design that will include a steering wheel and pedals and only support full autonomous capabilities on highways, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced Dec. 6 that the Garden State entered a $438 million multistate settlement with Juul Labs. The terms of the 33-state agreement were first announced in September. Tuesday’s development is the next step in that process, as Consent Judgements were filed between Juul and the states. The settlement resolves a two-year investigation into the electronic cigarette company’s marketing and sales practices. The multistate inquiry revealed that Juul rose to the top of the vaping market by engaging in an advertising campaign that appealed to youth, including through launch parties, influencers, social media posts, free samples, attractive flavors and more.
With so many lawsuits constantly being filed, the civil justice system in New Jersey has been ranked as one of the most costly in the nation. The American Tort Reform Foundation put the Garden State on the Judicial Hellhole watch list. “They’re concerned that some of the changes in the political environment could lead to an increase in lawsuits and abusive litigation,” Anthony Anastasio, the president of New Jersey Civil Justice Institute, said about that report. Because there are so many lawyers filing lawsuits in New Jersey, Anastasio said public policy tends to favor private lawsuits as a way to resolve all sorts of problems — and the legal system tends to favor plaintiffs over business interests and local governments.
After months in which gasoline prices in the United States have been one of the most visible symbols of inflation, they have a new distinction: Prices at the pump are now lower than they were a year ago. The reversal of the price escalation that accompanied Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will ease pressure on American consumers dealing with the high cost of other essentials. The drop in gasoline prices was led by a decline in worldwide energy demand, which drove oil prices lower. The national average price for regular gasoline stood at $3.33 a gallon on Thursday, according to AAA. A year ago, the average price at the pump was $3.34.
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.