Pub. 12 2013-2014 Issue 2

N e w J e r s e y C o a l i t i o n O f A u t o m o t i v e R e t a i l e r s s u m m e r 2 0 1 3 4 new jersey auto retailer Chairman’s MESSAGE | BY Mark Pellegrino This is a busy election year in New Jersey. The passing of U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg necessitated a special U.S. Senate Primary Election in August and Special General Elec- tion in October. All this on top of the regularly scheduled election in November, when every seat in the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly, aswell as theGovernor andLieutenantGovernor positions are on the ballot. NADA and the Dealers Election Action Committee (DEAC) handle elections on the national level. NJ CAR and the Committee of Au- tomotive Retailers’ Political Action Committee (CAR-PAC) stay focused intensely on the State legislature and gubernatorial races. That is because new car dealers have a huge stake in the outcome of the November 5th election. It is critical that CAR-PAC have the financial resources to support candidates who support the industry. Most dealers honor their quar- terly, $150 solicitation from CAR-PAC. What you may not know is that New Jersey election law allows contributions of up to $7,200 per election cycle. Without the generous support of dealers, CAR-PAC cannot ensure that the industry’s voice is heard on many political and regulatory is- sues that directly impact the retail automotive sector. In some cases, dealersmay be responding to a proposed law, such as Right-To-Repair or the current proposal to repeal the ban on the sale of motor vehicles on Sundays. In other cases, dealers may ap- proach legislators or regulators in an effort to strengthen protections for the industry, such as our periodic amendments to the Franchise Practices Act or procedural issues with the Motor Vehicle Commission. None of the many legislative and regulatory victories the industry has celebrated over the years would have been possible without the grassroots support from dealers throughout the State. Picking up the phone and sending a letter in support or opposition to a specific proposed regulation or piece of legislation are just two examples of grassroots support. Mak- ing financial contributions to CAR-PAC is another way to show your support of the industry’s objectives. As I stated earlier in this column, many dealers honor their quarterly CAR-PAC solicitation and some have gone above and beyond in this election cycle. I want to thank every dealer who has honored their commitment to support the political action committee that isworking tirelessly on your behalf. And to those who have not yet supported CAR-PAC this cycle, I ask that you please reconsider. Every dollar raised helps our political action committee show our elected leaders inTrenton that we can offer themboth political and financial support. Automotive sales continue to rebound and remain one of the primary drivers of both the New Jersey and national economies. No doubt, $7,200 is a lot of money. Not everyone is able to make that kind of commitment. But every dealer SHOULD do their best to honor their $150 quarterly contribution to CAR-PAC. And, in this election year, we ask every dealer to consider digging just a little deeper to make a supplemental contribution of $500, $1,000, $1,500 or more. If youhave already contributed toCAR-PAC, thankyou. If youhaven’t been supporting CAR-PAC, I encourage you to step up and share the responsibility of supporting this critical organization that represents your interests in Trenton. CAR-PAC Fights for the Dealers’ Interests