Pub. 15 2016-2017 Issue 4

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 11 new jersey auto retailer W W W . N J C A R . O R G CAR-PAC ENSURES THE INDUSTRY’S VOICE IS HEARD BY RAYMOND M. BURKE, III, PRESIDENT N J CAR’s political action committee, the Coalition of Automotive Retailers’ Political Action Committee (CAR- PAC), has tuned in to the wave of change that is sweeping across the political landscape of our State and country. The traditional two-party system is under a tremendous amount of stress, with recent election cycles opening up fractures within BOTH parties that could eventually lead to a rise in various third party activities. The shifting political landscape will change the strategies that candidates employ during their campaigns and it will also impact the way campaigns fund their efforts. Technol- ogy and demographics will accelerate these transitions. Fortunately, CAR-PAC is well positioned for this transition since its basis for candidate support has always been driven more by the relationships between dealers and candidates than by their party affiliations. This will bode well for CAR- PAC if present trends move our politics into a post-partisan framework. Another aspect of these changes is the likelihood that dealer involvement in the political process will become more reliant on strategies surrounding “grassroots” ef- forts. Face-to-face visits, phone calls, let- ters, emails and social media interaction with our elected officials can inf luence public perception of issues in extraordi- nary ways. NJ CAR and CAR-PAC are committed to using every communica- tion tool available to build and maintain relationships with our elected officials. What Is CAR-PAC? CAR-PAC is one of the most powerful and effective tools we have to communi- cate how engaged our industry is in the political process. CAR-PAC ensures that dealers’ voices are heard in Trenton and helps us educate legislators on the many contributions the industry makes to the State’s economy, as well as the communi- ties in which we operate. It also helps us educate the decision-makers on how pro- posed legislation will benefit consumers and the auto retailing industry or, con- versely, how it could have far-reaching, unintended, negative consequences. Some of you reading this articlemay question the value of CAR-PAC or political contribu- tions in general. But it is an essential element of the Coalition’s advocacy toolkit. You wouldn’t sendyour technician into theService Department without the proper tools and that is true with CAR-PAC. The majority of contributions received by CAR-PAC are used to support legislative candidates in Trenton who support issues important to the retail auto industry. The Co- alition also invests in educating the NJ CAR membership through targeted grassroots ef- forts and other political organizing activities. Without the full support of dealers, the ability of CAR-PAC to ensure the industry’s voice is heard is limited.Whether dealers are respond- ing to a proposed law or approaching legisla- tors in an effort to strengthen protections for the industry, it is critical that CAR-PAC has the necessary funds to be successful in its lob- bying efforts on behalf of dealers. How Is CAR-PAC Funded? CAR-PAC invoices are mailed four (4) times a year — in January, April, July CAR-PAC  continued on page 12 11 new jersey auto retailer W W W . N J C A R . O R G