NEW J E R S E Y COAL I T I ON OF AU TOMOT I VE R E T A I L E R S Issue 2 | 2022 Chairman’s Message NJ CAR Working With Legislature To Introduce The New Jersery Motor Vehicle Safety Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act P A G E 6
RMG D R I V I N G D E A L E R P R O F I T A B I L I T Y
www.genovaburns.com Genova Burns LLC • Attorneys-At-Law Labor and Employment Law Commercial and Insurance Litigation Newark, NJ 973.533.0777 Jersey City, NJ 201.469.0100 Tinton Falls, NJ 732.758.6595 Camden, NJ 856.968.0680 New York, NY 212.566.7188 Philadelphia, PA 215.564.0444 Basking Ridge, NJ 973-387-7800 RepResenting new JeRsey’s Auto DeAleRships
6 Chairman’s Message MICHAEL P. DIFEO President's Message 10 JAMES B. APPLETON 12 NADA Director's Message RICHARD A. DESILVA, SR. 13 NJ CAR Compliance Forms Series: Dealer’s Representation of Title & Lien Satisfaction GREYSON P. HANNIGAN, ESQ. 19 5 Questions With... 29 How To Delight Employees And Create Exceptional Benefits Education 31 NJ CAR Recognizes the Dealerships That Have Contributed to CAR-PAC 33 Thank You to Those Who Contributed to NADA PAC 35 Protecting Customer Non-Public Personal Information (NPPI) MICHAEL DACHILLE 36 Myths & Misconceptions About the Revised FTC Safeguards Rule CHRIS CLEVELAND AND HAO NGUYEN, ESQ. 40 Maximize Reinsurance To Build Wealth and Achieve Your Financial Goals STEPHEN MCLAUGHLIN EDITOR: BRIAN HUGHES PUBLISHED BY THE NEWSLINK GROUP, LLC 855.747.4003 ©2022 New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers | The newsLINK Group, LLC. All rights reserved. The New Jersey Auto Retailer is published four times each year by The newsLINK Group, LLC for the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJCAR) and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and dealer education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NJ CAR, its board of directors, or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. The New Jersey Auto Retailer is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of NJ CAR. While NJ CAR encourages a first-print policy, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at 855.747.4003. NJ CAR Executive Committee and Board of Trustees 2021-2022 NORTHERN REGION I (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Sussex) Joseph Agresta, Jr. Timothy Allocca John Fette Tim Hlavenka (Alt.) Guy Johnson William Kundert, Jr. (Alt.) Brian Lam Renee P. McGuire James Russomano Richard Selman (Alt) Todd Van Duren NORTHERN REGION II (Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Union, Warren) Scott Barna (Alt.) Bridget Beyer David Ferraez John Johnson, Jr. Sean Lyons (Alt.) Mark Montenero Edward J. Rossi (Alt.) Michael Salerno Thomas Stark William L. Strauss, III Steven Tilton CENTRAL REGION (Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean) Robert Ciasulli Thomas Faragall Gary Foltz Elizabeth Giglio (Alt.) Adam Kraushaar Melissa Longo Shari Sandidge (Alt.) Anton Semprivivo David Wintrode, Sr. (Alt.) Jordan Wright SOUTHERN REGION (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Salem) Russell Abate Jason Elkins (Alt.) Scott T. Harvey William Kassner (Alt.) Steven Kindle (Alt.) Judith Krupnick David Kull Peter Lanzavecchia (Alt.) Marcy Maguire Jim McCormick Robert D. McCormick Tina Wright CONTENTS NJ CAR BOARD OF TRUSTEES BY REGION Michael P. DiFeo........................................................................................................... Chairman James Curley, III................................................................................................... Vice Chairman Eric Nielsen....................................................................................................................Secretary Ronald E. Baus, Jr..........................................................................................................Treasurer Michael P. DeSilva............................................. Regional Vice President (Northern Region I) Andy Shapiro......................................................Regional Vice President (Northern Region II) Richard Malouf, Jr....................................................Regional Vice President (Central Region) Ed Barlow, III.........................................................Regional Vice President (Southern Region) Judith A. Schumacher-Tilton..................................................................... Budget Chairwoman Michael McGuire.............................................................NJ CAR Insurance Co. Ltd. Chairman Richard A. DeSilva, Sr..............................................................NJ CAR Services, Inc. President NADA Director for New Jersey Frank M. Pezzolla............................................................................Truck Committee Chairman Charles S. Miller.............................................................................................CAR-PAC President James B. Appleton.........................................................................................................President I S S U E 2 | 2 0 2 2 4 new jersey auto retailer
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In the past two years, more than 50 million vehicles across the country have been subject to a safety recall. Unfortunately, recall completion rates are dismal, with estimates that as many as one in five vehicles on the road are in need of repair. NJ CAR estimates that more than 1 million vehicles on the road in New Jersey are operating under some form of safety recall. This poses a serious threat to highway safety and diminishes the value of vehicles owned and operated by motor vehicle consumers in New Jersey. That is why NJ CAR is working with legislators on a comprehensive, consumer-oriented legislative package entitled The Motor Vehicle Safety Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act (the Act). The Act would amend key sections of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Franchise Practices Act (NJSA 56:10-1 et seq.) and would strengthen and clarify protections for New Jersey consumers, as well as the State’s neighborhood new car and truck dealerships. The Act would require a more coordinated and aggressive outreach from Chairman’s MESSAGE | BY MICHAEL P. DIFEO NJ CAR Working With Legislature To Introduce The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Safety Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act I S S U E 2 | 2 0 2 2 6 new jersey auto retailer
THE ACT WOULD FOSTER GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY BY REQUIRING OEMS TO FAIRLY COMPENSATE NEW CAR DEALERS WHO FIX THEIR MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. automakers to consumers to alert them to outstanding safety recalls affecting their vehicles and to urge them to take advantage of free repair service available at their neighborhood’s new car dealership. The legislation would also ensure that dealerships are properly compensated by automakers for ALL costs associated with a recall. It’s important to remember that federal law prohibits the retail sale of any new motor vehicle under recall. Additionally, the National Highway Transportation Safety Act requires automakers to pay dealers 1% per month of the wholesale value of the grounded new vehicle in inventory. In New Jersey, the Franchise Practices Act requires automakers “to compensate [dealers] for all reasonable costs … relating to a product recall.” Unfortunately, not a single automaker is fairly or fully compensating New Jersey new car dealers under existing State OR federal law, shifting millions of dollars of expense from automakers to dealers and consumers. The Act would foster greater accountability by requiring OEMs to fairly compensate new car dealers who fix their manufacturing defects. It would also prevent OEMs from shifting the cost of warranty and safety recall work to consumers and local business owners. By requiring automakers to implement a more coordinated and aggressive safety recall notification system, the legislation will have the added benefit of significantly increasing recall completion rates and improve highway safety. The proposed NJ CAR-backed legislation would greatly enhance the automakers’ responsibility to make motor vehicle owners aware of any outstanding recalls and clarify the dealerships’ responsibilities through a variety of measures including: • Requiring OEMs to provide (and bear the cost of ) enhanced consumer notice; • Prohibiting OEMs from shipping new vehicles under recall; • Authorizing dealers to notify consumers of recalls; • Codifying the dealers’ obligation to disclose open recalls to consumers; • Placing the burden of checking for recalls on the dealer; and • Offering dealers who comply “safe harbor” from potential consumer claims. The act would also require OEMs to designate vehicles under recall that are “unsafe or inappropriate for retail sale” and would prohibit the sale of any recalled vehicles designated as unsafe or inappropriate for retail sale by the OEM. Finally, the Act would protect consumers AND dealers by ensuring that dealers are fairly compensated for ALL costs associated with a recall. Amendments included in the Act clarify and strengthen these requirements by: • Requiring OEMs to fairly compensate dealers for ALL costs associated with recalls and clearly defining what is included in those costs; • Requiring OEMS to pay dealers a fair retail rate of compensation for all parts and labor and other costs associated with completing warranty and safety recall repairs; • Prohibiting OEMs from shifting costs to dealers and consumers; • Prohibiting OEMs from penalizing dealers for asserting warranty or recall claims on behalf of their customers; and • Prohibiting OEMs from manipulating compensation paid to dealers for warranty and safety recall service including through warranty & incentive audits or chargebacks. NJ CAR leadership is putting together the finishing touches on this proposal and will be recruiting legislative sponsors with an eye toward introduction this fall. The coalition will keep dealers informed of any developments regarding the proposed legislation. 7 N J C A R . O R G new jersey auto retailer
Tommy Struchen and his team service about 450 vehicles a month. To move all these cars through the dealership efficiently, he needed to streamline communications between dealership employees as well as with customers. With VUE, the Service team can communicate immediately with other employees within the DMS. Technicians can take notes and send them to their advisors, so there is no miscommunication about the repair orders. When advisors inspect vehicles, technicians can see what tickets are assigned to them and appropriately plan for it in real time. EASE OF USE. CONSIDER VUE DMS. RECONSIDER Since the install, processes have been a lot more seamless. From technicians to service advisors to including even the parts department. It made everyone’s job so much easier. Tommy Struchen Service Manager, Mack Grubbs Hyundai CONSIDER VUE DMS 866.928.3210 | VUEDMS .COM/NEW- JERSEY
New Jersey’s EV Incentive Program Has Been A Mixed Bag President’s MESSAGE | BY JIM APPLETON I S S U E 2 | 2 0 2 2 10 new jersey auto retailer
THE BPU MUST INCORPORATE SOLUTIONS TO THE SHORTCOMINGS FOUND IN ITS FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE CHARGE UP NEW JERSEY EV INCENTIVE PROGRAM, TO ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD. The Charge Up New Jersey Electric Vehicle (EV) Incentive Program is expected to reopen for its third iteration sometime in 2022. While New Jersey’s franchised car and truck dealerships support the program and have been active participants, the program administration has been a mixed bag. There is no doubt the Program has driven demand for EVs in New Jersey, but the on-again, off-again nature of the incentive, long wait times for reimbursement and other administrative shortcomings have left a lot to be desired by participating dealers. Over the past two years, we have learned what worked, what didn’t work, what is popular with consumers and what could be improved. Year One of the Charge Up New Jersey EV Incentive was a post-purchase program. Consumers who purchased an eligible EV applied to be reimbursed for up to $5,000, depending on the range of their plug-in vehicle. The Program ultimately doled out more than 8,400 total incentives, with 83% of the incentives going to Tesla purchasers and the remaining 17% spread out among several franchised brands. Unfortunately, the program exceeded its $30 million budget by nearly $10 million, $7 million of which came out of the Year Two budgeted monies. In Year Two the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) converted Charge Up New Jersey to a point-of-sale program and introduced a tiered incentive. Consumers who purchased eligible EVs with an MSRP of less than $45,000 were eligible to receive up to a $5,000 incentive. Eligible EVs with an MSRP between $45,000 and $55,000 were eligible to receive an incentive up to $2,000. Participating dealerships applied the appropriate incentive at the point-of-sale, essentially paying the incentive for the consumer, and then applied to be reimbursed by the BPU and its program administrator, the Center For Sustainable Energy (CSE). The Program approved nearly 3,800 incentives. Another 1,200 reimbursements are still pending delivery of vehicles ordered in 2021. Tesla’s share of the incentives dropped to 66% in Year Two, while the franchised dealership share doubled to 34%. Excessive delays in reimbursements during the second phase harmed the participating dealerships, with many payments taking 60 days or longer. Now, we are waiting on a launch date for Year Three of the Program. NJ CAR had been asking the BPU and CSE to engage in meaningful conversations regarding the ongoing development of this critical program since the second phase ended on Sept. 15, 2021. Regrettably, those conversations never happened and, as a result, the Budget and Straw Proposals recently released by BPU were developed without the benefit of input from dealers. The proposal does not adequately address the lessons that should have been learned from the administrative failures of the first two phases. The administration of the first two phases of the EV incentive program faced fundamental challenges that NJ CAR hopes can be avoided in future phases. Most notably, the Coalition wants BPU to eliminate the spontaneous “on/off” cycle of the program which makes it unreliable and confusing for consumers and undermines automakers’ and dealers’ planning, distribution and marketing efforts. Funding for the program also needs to be increased. In fact, proposed legislation is in the works that would pull forward some of the remaining $240 million earmarked for the program. The $30 million annual funding level is inadequate, given consumer interest in the program. Not only is the onagain/off-again cycle of the program confusing for consumers, dealers and manufacturers, but the inadequate funding also undermines Governor Murphy’s goal of getting 330,000 EVs on New Jersey roads by Dec. 31, 2025. NJ CAR has also taken issue with the BPU’s proposed “no mark-ups” above MSRP disqualifier. The statute clearly authorizes BPU to limit incentives to vehicles with an MSRP of $55,000 or less. A “no mark-up” policy that imposes price control on local businesses but does not also impact the manufacturers’ ability to raise MSRP is a real problem. The policy fails to protect consumers and imposes financial hardship on Main Street businesses while allowing automakers complete freedom to price gouge. The policy allows manufacturers, like Tesla, to take full advantage of the current sellers’ market but would prevent local businesses from doing the same. If the goal is consumer protection, price controls should also be imposed on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and any vehicle with a transaction price below $55,000 should be eligible (dealer mark up or not). Finally, the BPU seems to be ignoring the unusually low inventories on dealership lots throughout New Jersey due to the ongoing chip shortage and other component parts shortages. Any rational businessperson knows that, when demand exceeds supply, there is no need to push products with incentives. Incentives work best when supply is high and demand is low. While dealers are very encouraged by consumers’ ongoing interest in EVs, right now the market does not favor consumers. NJ CAR has urged BPU to hold off on restarting the incentive program until later in 2022 when: 1. Inventories are expected to build; 2. Dealers and manufacturers can plan marketing and promotional activities to coincide with increased inventory and incentive dollars; 3. Federal tax and EV incentive programs are known; and 4. Supplemental appropriations, beyond the $30 million minimum incentive, can be raised to ensure the program can remain open year-round. The BPU must incorporate solutions to the shortcomings found in its first two years of the Charge Up New Jersey EV Incentive Program, to ensure the best possible program going forward. 11 N J C A R . O R G new jersey auto retailer
The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) works to advance the interests of the 17,000+ franchised new car and truck dealerships across the country. It has been very active in 2022 so far for NADA. Below are just some of the highlights. NADA ANNOUNCES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DEALERSHIP EV EDUCATION PROGRAM The auto industry continues to move, full-speed into an electric future, with 100+ new models with a plug in every vehicle category and every price point expected to arrive in dealership showrooms in the next few years. To help dealers get ready for this EV future, NADA announced an EV education program at NADA Show in Las Vegas. While automakers are bringing more and more electric vehicles to market, dealers are vital to helping consumers understand the EV ownership experience and making them comfortable with their first EV purchase. Dealers must be ready to provide future EV buyers with model-specific information, as well as general information about charging options, EV infrastructure, EV service requirements, and much more. NADA is developing an online program in partnership with the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) and Plug In America (PIA). The program will complement model-specific OEM training and will provide dealership sales teams with content to communicate with customers and close EV sales. As many of you know, NJ CAR already offers a comprehensive PlugStar EV training program to New Jersey dealers in partnership with Plug In America. Details on how the comprehensive State program will mesh with the online program offered by NADA are still being ironed out. NADA CONTINUES WORKING TO SECURE LIFO RELIEF Despite broad bipartisan congressional support for the Treasury Department to use its existing authority to allow LIFO relief to businesses if a “major foreign trade interruption” makes inventory replacement difficult, Treasury has, thus far, declined to act. The Department believes it needs additional legislative authority. As such, NADA’s efforts have shifted to securing LIFO relief through legislation that can pass both chambers and be signed by the President. On April 4, the “Supply Chain Disruptions Relief Act” (H.R. 7382) was introduced, which explicitly provides Treasury with the legislative authority to provide LIFO relief. On April 28, a Senate companion bill (S. 4105) was introduced. NADA has been working feverishly to secure additional cosponsors to demonstrate widespread, bipartisan support. In addition, 92 House members and 52 Senators signed letters sent to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen supporting LIFO relief for dealers. REGULATION OF DEALER-ASSISTED FINANCING AND F&I PRODUCTS A recent major consent order underscores the FTC’s intention to hold dealer leadership, as well as the dealership entities themselves, responsible for alleged unlawful behavior. It also further highlights the need for dealers to conduct robust training and oversight of all aspects of their sale and finance operations. As a reminder, NADA offers multiple products to assist dealers in this area, including the optional NADA/NAMAD/ AIADA Fair Credit Compliance Policy and Program and the optional NADA/NAMAD/AIADA Model Dealership Voluntary Protection Products Policy, which provides guidance and a policy template to help promote compliance with the selection, sale, and administration of VPPs that are offered to consumers. Dealers should carefully review these products with an attorney who is familiar with federal, state, and local law governing fair credit and VPPs as well as their dealership operations to determine appropriate compliance measures to adopt for their dealership. NADA LAUNCHES BRAND NEW WEBSITE NADA recently launch its new f lagship website (www.nada. org), featuring a one-stop auto retail news hub for the dealership community (www.nadaheadlines.org). The new site will be updated around the clock with news and content spanning education, public policy, videos, blog posts and graphics. NADA’s vision is to have NADA Headlines serve as a hub where everyone who works in and around auto retail can get everything they need to effectively run their dealerships or departments. NADA Active On Multiple Fronts NADA Director’s MESSAGE | BY RICHARD A. DESILVA, SR. I S S U E 2 | 2 0 2 2 12 new jersey auto retailer
licensed New Jersey motor vehicle dealer, the seller may execute a secure power of attorney (POA) or a document required by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC), authorizing the licensed dealer to execute the original title when they have it in their possession. If the original title is never received or is lost, the dealer will be able to use the POA to apply for a duplicate title. The law gives New Jersey licensed motor vehicle dealers special authorization to sell used vehicles before the title has been NJ CAR Compliance Forms Series: Dealer’s Representation of Title and Lien Satisfaction By GREYSON P. HANNIGAN, ESQ. Many have wondered how a licensed auto dealer can sell a vehicle when they do not have a valid title in their possession. This puzzling question can be explained by the provisions of N.J.S.A. 39:10-9. Dealers often come into possession of used motor vehicles when a customer trades in a vehicle towards a new purchase or if they purchase a used vehicle from another dealer. Dealers are often faced with situations where the title is not readily available for transfer for any number of reasons. In this situation, the law provides that if the purchaser of a vehicle is a NJ CAR COMPLIANCE FORM SERIES continues on page 14 13 N J C A R . O R G new jersey auto retailer
DEALERS ARE OFTEN FACED WITH SITUATIONS WHERE THE TITLE IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE FOR TRANSFER FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS. IN THIS SITUATION, THE LAW PROVIDES THAT IF THE PURCHASER OF A VEHICLE IS A LICENSED NEW JERSEY MOTOR VEHICLE DEALER, THE SELLER MAY EXECUTE A SECURE POWER OF ATTORNEY (POA) OR A DOCUMENT REQUIRED BY THE NEW JERSEY MOTOR VEHICLE COMMISSION (NJMVC), AUTHORIZING THE LICENSED DEALER TO EXECUTE THE ORIGINAL TITLE WHEN THEY HAVE IT IN THEIR POSSESSION. NJ CAR COMPLIANCE FORM SERIES continued from page 13 transferred into the dealership’s name. N.J.S.A. 39:10-9 provides that “if the seller is a licensed New Jersey motor vehicle dealer, the seller shall not be required to deliver an assignment or certificate of ownership at the time of sale, provided that the dealer has satisfied all liens noted on the certificate of title and has the right to title as of the time of sale, and provided that the dealer represents and attests to the same in a writing to be delivered to the purchaser at the time of sale.” The law requires the dealership provides a customer with a written document, notifying them they have the right to title the vehicle and that all liens have been paid. NJ CAR created the Dealer Representation of Title & Lien Satisfaction Form to comply with the requirements of N.J.S.A. 39:10-9. The entire form must be filled out and signed by the dealership and customer, with a copy provided to the customer. There are many challenges when selling vehicles that the dealership only has a right to tile with no title in hand. There are a wide array of things that can happen after a customer trades in their vehicle and the dealership is waiting to get title into its name. These challenges can create significant delay for customers and headaches for dealerships. The Dealer Representation of Title & Lien Satisfaction Form (SKU: 222) can be ordered by calling NJ CAR Services, Inc. at 609.883.5056, x402 or visiting the NJ CAR Services website (https://njcarservices.com/). Greyson Hannigan is NJ CAR’s Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs. He can be reached at 609.883.5056, x340 or, via email, at ghannigan@njcar.org. I S S U E 2 | 2 0 2 2 14 new jersey auto retailer
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Senator Shirley Turner 15th Legislative District What inspired you to run for office and become a legislator? I felt that we needed more diverse representation in the New Jersey Legislature in terms of giving a voice to women and minorities and working to level the playing field for the underserved. What is your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment as a legislator? If you could change one thing in Trenton, what would it be? I was the first state Senator in the country to pass a law requiring that the work performed by State contractors and subcontractors be performed in the United States. I did this after learning that a call center that the State of New Jersey contracted with for answering questions about food stamps had moved its call center to India. After I introduced my bill, legislation was introduced by other legislators in 21 states. The call center reopened in Camden, New Jersey, which resulted in individuals from our state’s most impoverished city receiving jobs. My greatest disappointment is that the legislative process is so challenging. Very valid legislation can be difficult to pass, such as my bill, which I have sponsored for 22 years to fix New Jersey’s broken property tax system by making New Jersey less reliant on property taxes to pay for education and government services and provide a fairer method and more progressive revenue source to pay those expenses. Changing New Jersey’s status as the highest property tax state in the nation would improve affordability in our state, attract more businesses, and improve our economy and education for all children. I would change the way campaigns are financed to help reduce the influence of money in politics. What are the legislative priorities, issues, or areas of concern on which you would like to focus your attention? There are many priorities, but the most pressing issue at the moment is the COVID learning loss, job loss, and earnings loss for businesses and families. I am afraid these will have long-term repercussions on our students and workforce and the learning loss will impact the earnings potential of students who may be struggling to catch up and place them at greater risk of dropping out of school. Coming out of the pandemic, what are the lessons you’ve learned and how do you think those lessons should guide public policymakers going forward? Our country needs to become independent in terms of providing our basic needs. The number of companies that have moved their manufacturing overseas has placed us at the mercy of foreign countries when we need supplies and other items. We need to prioritize manufacturing in the United States and that goal should guide our policies at both the federal and state levels. What was the make and model of the vehicle in which you learned how to drive? Also, what was the first (new or used) vehicle you owned? My father taught me to drive in a Lincoln, and the first vehicle I owned was a Dodge. Senator Turner’s Bio: Democrat representing Legislative District 15 Counties: Hunterdon and Mercer Municipalities: East Amwell, Ewing, Hopewell Borough (Mercer), Hopewell Township (Mercer), Lambertville, Lawrence (Mercer), Pennington, Trenton, West Amwell, West Windsor Education: • B.S. Trenton State College (Education) • M.A. Rider College (Guidance and Counseling) • Rutgers University (Postgraduate Studies/Education) Public or Party Service: • Mercer County Board of Freeholders (1983-86), Vice President (1986) • Township of Lawrence Zoning Board (1979-83) • Mercer County Improvement Authority (1979-81) • N.J. State Council on the Arts (1977-81) Legislative Service: • Senate (1998-present) • President Pro Tempore (2004-09) • Democratic President Pro Tempore (2002-03) • General Assembly (1994-98) • Associate Minority Leader (1996-98) Committees: • Education, Vice-Chair • Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity • Economic Growth State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation 5 QUESTIONS WITH... continues on page 20 19 N J C A R . O R G new jersey auto retailer
Assemblywoman Kim Eulner 11th Legislative District What inspired you to run for office and become a legislator? Having served as a Shrewsbury Borough Councilwoman for 4 years, I felt I had a good foundation of public service to run for Assembly. Through the years, I would complain about the direction the state was headed, and finally decided I needed to put my “money where my mouth is” and run. I’m thrilled to have won in November to represent the people of Legislative District 11 and Monmouth County. Also, there’s a decided lack of “regular” people in the legislature, and too often people’s everyday concerns are brushed aside for more out-of-touch policy options. What is your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment as a legislator? If you could change one thing in Trenton, what would it be? Since I have been in office a few months, I consider winning the tough election in November to be my greatest achievement. I will expand my list of achievements as I participate in more committee meetings, voting sessions, and meeting more of my Legislative District 11 constituents. My current goal is to help those facing challenges relating to unemployment, New Jersey’s exorbitant cost of living, and improve our educational system. My greatest disappointment so far is that Democrats and Republicans have a long way to go to learn how to work across the aisle. We need to regain focus on what is good for the citizens of New Jersey and remember there is more that unites us than divides us. What are the legislative priorities, issues or areas of concern on which you would like to focus your attention? School funding, protecting our police, the overall high tax rate, and extensive overspending, to name a few. Many schools in my district have lost funding over the last several years, which puts additional burdens on parents and our communities via school referendums for facility upgrades, paying more for after-school activities, and dealing with a lack of available resources to address the mental health crisis our children are facing. We have also experienced a higher rate of teacher retirements and less college graduates entering the field. We need to make it easier for those interested in teaching to get into the classroom. Ensuring our police are respected, kept safe, and properly funded is another priority. Prisoners should no longer be released from prison due to COVID rates. Making sure our communities are safe and secure is a huge concern to our residents, and they spoke loudly and clearly in the last election. Finally, the governor has increased the state’s budget by over $12 billion in the past five years. It’s time to give the taxpayers and business owners in our state a break. Coming out of the pandemic, what are the lessons you’ve learned and how do you think those lessons should guide public policymakers going forward? Unfortunately, the pandemic has shown how divided our communities and state can be, but also that we have it within ourselves to come together for the common good. More specifically, I am hopeful everyone realizes that children need to be in school, parents need to be able to decide what is best for their children and that our front-line workers deserve our respect and support. What was the make and model of the vehicle in which you learned how to drive? Also, what was the first (new or used) vehicle you owned? I learned how to drive in my grandmother’s Red VW Beetle (not sure of the year, but it was from the 1970s) with a stick shift. The first car I owned was a Red 1989 VW Fox, also a stick shift. Assemblywoman Eulner’s Bio: Republican representing Legislative District 11 Counties: Monmouth Municipalities: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune, Neptune Township, Ocean Township (Monmouth), Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, West Long Branch Education: • B.A. Washington College (Sociology) Occupation: • Data Provider Public or Party Service: • Borough of Shrewsbury Council 2018-22 Legislative Service: • General Assembly 2022-present Committees: • Financial Institutions and Insurance • Human Services • Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove 9th Legislative District What inspired you to run for office and become a legislator? I had the privilege of teaching high school history and civics for more than 30 years. This only increased my level of respect for our form of government. When teaching, I instilled the compelling 5 QUESTIONS WITH... continued from page 19 I S S U E 2 | 2 0 2 2 20 new jersey auto retailer
5 QUESTIONS WITH... continues on page 22 need for my students and all Americans to engage in the public policy-making process. Therefore, it was a natural fit for me to serve in public office so as to be in a more effective position to help my community. What is your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment as a legislator? If you could change one thing in Trenton, what would it be? My greatest achievement in public office is continuing to provide the highest level of constituency services to those I have the honor of representing. The pandemic only amplified the public’s need for help navigating the state bureaucracy to gain access to the services they need. My greatest disappointment as a legislator is seeing the continuation of misguided policies emanating from Trenton that are hostile to business, create harmful discrepancies in school funding, and provide woefully insufficient property tax relief, all of which have exacerbated the state’s unaffordability crisis. What are the legislative priorities, issues or areas of concern on which you would like to focus your attention? Constituent services remain my highest priority, as these efforts can directly improve the lives of my constituents. Reducing taxes remains an issue of the highest level for my constituents, many of whom are reaching their financial breaking point. To that end, I have supported tax reductions while, correspondingly, rejected increased government spending and borrowing. Coming out of the pandemic, what are the lessons you’ve learned and how do you think those lessons should guide public policy makers going forward? The most important lesson that I learned coming out of the pandemic is that people justifiably want a greater say in state policies, especially those implemented through the Governor’s emergency powers. To the detriment of the people, the State Legislature was not afforded the opportunity to provide sufficient input, on behalf of their constituents, regarding sweeping emergency directives issued unilaterally by the Governor. This process must change, and I have proudly co-sponsored legislation to modify state law to give the people, through their legislative representatives, a greater voice. What was the make and model of the vehicle in which you learned how to drive? Also, what was the first (new or used) vehicle you owned? I drove an Oldsmobile to learn how to drive. My first car was a used 1962 Black Valiant. Assemblywoman Gove’s Bio: Republican representing Legislative District 9 Counties: Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean Municipalities: Barnegat, Barnegat Light, Bass River, Beach Haven, Beachwood, Berkeley, Eagleswood, Galloway, Harvey Cedars, Lacey, Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach, Ocean Gate, Ocean Township (Ocean), Pine Beach, Port Republic, Seaside Park, Ship Bottom, South Toms River, Stafford, Surf City, Tabernacle, Tuckerton, Washington (Burlington) Education: • B.A. Cabrini College (Social Science) • M.A. Monmouth University (Social Science) Public or Party Service: • Long Beach Township Commissioner 2008-09; 2003-04; 1984-88; • Mayor 2004-08 • Ocean County Advisory Commission on the Status of Women 1986-98 Legislative Service: • General Assembly 2009-present • Policy Co-Chair 2014-present Committees: • Higher Education • Military and Veterans’ Affairs • Aging and Senior Services Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis 21st Legislative District What inspired you to run for office and become a legislator? I have always been drawn to helping others and to public service. Offering a helping hand is not limited to being an elected official, and much of my life before politics came in the form of community involvement. I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer with many community organizations involving our senior population, veterans, and the special needs communities. I serve currently as a Board Member for Robbie’s World Foundation for the Autistic and the New Jersey Veterans Network and was the PTA President at both the Middle and High Schools in my hometown. I knew that running and holding an elected office would offer me a new and exciting challenge to be a servant-leader in our community. When I was a Councilwoman in New Providence, we had a motto: “Do it because it is good for New Providence,” and I have taken that same mindset and applied it to our District in my current capacity as an Assemblywoman. What is your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment as a legislator? If you could change one thing in Trenton, what would it be? I am excited for future opportunities in my capacity as a Legislator. I am proud to be the primary sponsor of a piece of legislation called “Emma’s Law.” Emma’s Law requires school buses that transport students with special needs to be equipped with certain safety features such as closed-circuit cameras, and GPS that provides information about the location and speed of the special transport buses in real time in hopes of providing transparency. This bill was introduced last session by then-Assemblyman Jon Bramnick and is based on the real-life experiences of a special needs child from Cranford. It would be a great accomplishment to have this bill pass the Legislature in a bipartisan fashion. As a new Legislator, I do not believe I have faced any significant disappointments yet, fully recognizing that disappointments are a part of life. How I respond and react to a disappointment is more of the question. As a glass-half-full individual, I can only control 21 N J C A R . O R G new jersey auto retailer
my reaction to a disappointment, reflect on the things I can change for a better outcome the next time, and refocus my efforts on the next challenge or initiative I am working on. What are the legislative priorities, issues or areas of concern on which you would like to focus your attention? I have the privilege of viewing some of the state’s most pressing issues with a fresh set of eyes and producing common sense and pragmatic solutions to address these concerns. As a representative, I consider myself to be pro-business and protaxpayer. From a pro-business perspective, my goal is to help make New Jersey a state where businesses of all sizes can succeed. The state should be doing more to incentivize and attract new business into the state and helping to provide business relief by cutting burdensome regulations so companies can afford to stay. Additionally, I am concerned about the growing staffing crisis that seems to be impacting almost every industry. There are different ways to address staffing shortages, but I do not believe in just throwing money at the issues, and there is no one-size-fitsall solution. We must be willing to focus on the root causes of staffing shortages and consider each approach on a case-by-case and industry-by-industry basis. From a pro-taxpayer mindset, we must also address the affordability crisis of the state. In the current climate, we see too often that older residents can no longer afford to stay in the state; that our young people cannot afford to start their lives here and are eager to move while taking their industry talents with them; and that property taxes are becoming increasingly burdensome. I am looking forward to taking on these issues, among many others, while in Trenton. Coming out of the pandemic, what are the lessons you’ve learned and how do you think those lessons should guide public policy makers going forward? When I think of post-pandemic life, two things come to mind: the impacts on New Jersey business, and the impacts to our school-aged children. I believe in both regards, we are just beginning to see how broad shutdowns and missed classroom time have impacted residents of our state. I have seen colleagues learn firsthand that there is a fine balance between saving lives and saving livelihoods, and the two do not have to be mutually exclusive. We must make decisions that are good for the publics’ health, but that also do not impact residents’ sources of income, businesses, or mental and emotional stability. Policymakers must always consider the unintended consequences of their decisions. The silver lining of the past two years has been that our state has seen what worked and what did not work in response to the situation we faced – and we are better prepared for our future challenges better than before. What was the make and model of the vehicle in which you learned how to drive? Also, what was the first (new or used) vehicle you owned? My father loved American cars – so much so that there was a time that our family was only allowed to have a car if it was a Buick. He believed the American automotive appeal and performance were unlike any other. When I reached driving age, the family car was a maroon Buick Skylark. I vividly remember driving around the streets of Bayonne thinking I would be the talk of the town. When I was old enough for a car of my own, I stayed in the Buick family and drove the one that my grandfather did. Assemblywoman Matsikoudis’ Bio: Republican representing Legislative District 21 Counties: Union Municipalities: Berkeley Heights, Bernards, Chatham Borough, Cranford, Far Hills, Garwood, Kenilworth, Long Hill, Mountainside, New Providence, Roselle Park, Springfield (Union), Summit, Warren, Watchung, Westfield Education: • B.A. Rosemont College (Political Science/Business) Occupation: • Director of Business Development, Keller Williams – Sue Adler Team Public or Party Service: • Borough of New Providence Council 2019-21 Legislative Service: • General Assembly 2022-present Committees: • Community Development and Affairs • Education • Aging and Senior Services • Joint Committee on the Public Schools Assemblywoman Carol Murphy 7th Legislative District What inspired you to run for office and become a legislator? My father was a U.S. Army Bronze Star Master Sergeant who dedicated his life to public service. He instilled in me that same dedication to public service in various ways. I set many small goals that led me to accomplish bigger goals. Unfortunately, I did not know what that ultimate goal was until I served as a staffer for a legislator many years later. After working in law for 18 years and government for 17 years, going back to school, along with a few part-time jobs, all of that led me to run for office. I am now serving in a career I did not know I wanted until I won in 2017 and it felt right. The words of George Burns apply to me “If you are in love with your job, you never work a day in your life.” What is your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment as a legislator? If you could change one thing in Trenton, what would it be? My greatest achievement as a legislator is when a constituent or colleague or friend says thank you for helping me. I thrived on knowing that people depend on me, knowing they can call me on the phone and say, “I need your help” and know I will do my best to make a difference. A simple THANK YOU is the biggest accomplishment. 5 QUESTIONS WITH... continued from page 21 I S S U E 2 | 2 0 2 2 22 new jersey auto retailer
5 QUESTIONS WITH... continues on page 24 My biggest disappointment has not happened yet. But if I had to name one thing it would be the lack of trust under the golden dome. We need to come together to get the work of the people done. We need to work together, talk together and need to make decisions together in the best interests of New Jerseyans as we did though COVID. We should debate with passion, not in anger or just to be adversarial. Working together with a common goal should come with civility. Change I would like to see not only in Trenton but also in general is a greater respect for humanity, respect for our peers and less anger. What are the legislative priorities, issues or areas of concern on which you would like to focus your attention? Legislative priorities for this session area: • Affordability for residents to live, work and play in New Jersey • Affordability for our businesses to prosper and grow • Retention of jobs/workforce • Infrastructure - Technology, Transportation, and Roads • Veterans, animal protections and children. • Mental and physical healthcare and childcare • Human Trafficking issues • Cybersecurity issues and safety for families, businesses, schools etc. Coming out of the pandemic, what are the lessons you’ve learned and how do you think those lessons should guide public policy makers going forward? Lessons learned from the pandemic are voluminous. We learned to move forward despite the pandemic. We learned just how our life can be altered when businesses and schools are impacted, in addition to a lack of healthcare and the suspension of everyday luxuries. Learning to adapt to a new normal that may feel the same, but is not the same. As a policy maker the instability of our State and family budgets, a workforce crisis, business losses and lack of in-school studies had on our residents. Our priorities shifted towards affordability, the importance of healthcare, work loss and the need for quality education. Highlighting improvements needed for our infrastructure, our technology, which needs over hauling, and our businesses need help and resources to get up and running. Our economy needs strengthening to keep our communities moving forward. As a legislator I learned just how strong New Jerseyans are in times of crisis and can come together to help each other. What was the make and model of the vehicle in which you learned how to drive? Also, what was the first (new or used) vehicle you owned? The car I learned to drive in was my dad’s Cadillac Town Car - a huge car. My very first car I owned was a 1968 red Mustang with a black strip when I was a senior in high school. Assemblywoman Murphy’s Bio: Democrat representing Legislative District 7 Counties: Burlington Municipalities: Beverly, Bordentown, Bordentown Township, Burlington, Burlington Township, Cinnaminson, Delanco, Delran, Edgewater Park, Fieldsboro, Florence, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Palmyra, Riverside, Riverton, Willingboro Education: • Camden County College • Institute for Paralegal Studies, Paralegal Certificate • Purdue University (Arts and Sciences) Public or Party Service: • Office of Assemblywoman Gabriela M. Mosquera, Director of Policy 2012-17 • Office of Senator Linda Greenstein, Chief of Staff 2011 • New Jersey Schools Development Authority, Community Relations Manager 2006-11; Communications Officer 2003-06 Legislative Service: • General Assembly, 2018-present • Majority Whip, 2022-present • Deputy Majority Leader, 2020-2021 Committees: • Judiciary, Vice-Chair • Budget • Financial Institutions and Insurance Assemblywoman Marilyn Piperno 11th Legislative District What inspired you to run for office and become a legislator? For me, it was quite organic. As my children entered school it was a natural transition, as a parent, to get more involved in civic organizations. I wouldn’t classify this advocacy and action as political because the motivation was purely for the safety of my children and family, but it certainly started me down that path. As the effects of the state’s school funding cuts impacted my children and our friends, family, and neighbors, it motivated me to learn more, ask common-sense questions, and begin holding people accountable. The 2021 election year offered an opportunity to join a grassroots effort to unseat stale incumbents with voting records that were in direct opposition to our children’s needs. I was happy to throw my hat in the ring and try to make a difference. What is your greatest achievement and greatest disappointment as a legislator? If you could change one thing in Trenton, what would it be? As a freshman legislator with two real months of work; I’m not quite able to express a beaming accomplishment or belabor the frustration of disappointment just yet. What I can say in my limited time, is the genuine need to revisit just about all areas of over-regulation and bureaucracy that are strangling businesses and restricting real growth. If our representatives could agree to work together to reduce costs for businesses and families and make NJ affordable, that would be a great start. 23 N J C A R . O R G new jersey auto retailer
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