Wow, where is all the time going? We had a wonderful Fall season and as I sit here, we just had our first snow fall and it's only November 11, 2014! Those kind of days always make me happy to have a home office!!

The First Annual Fritz Rolle Legacy Golf Outing was a huge success! We had record hole sponsorship as well as a great group of golfers. The weather started out a little iffy, but Fritz shined the sun down upon us and kept us on course! He is very much proud of all of US!!

We also held our annual industry scholarship awards that evening. We have provided, throughout the years, well over $90,000 to deserving students. We are proud, once again, to announce this year's recipients:

First recipient - Samantha Burkholder who worked for Morey's Piers in Wildwood, NJ. She is attending college at Atlantic Cape Community College.

Second recipient - Allison Dobstetter who worked at Seacoast Amusements in Keansburg, NJ She is attending college at York College of PA.

Third recipient - Meredith Kaplan who has worked at Fantasy Island in LBI. Meredith is attending University of Buffalo.

Fourth recipient - Jonathan Burnley who is employed at Jersey Shore Beach & Boardwalk. Jonathan is attending Rutgers School of Engineering.

Fifth recipient - Samantha Halverson who is employed at Jenkinson's, Point Pleasant Beach, and Samantha is attending University of Delaware.

Sixth recipient - Shannon McConnell who is employed at Jenkinson's Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach, and Shannon is attending Stevens Institute of Technology.

Congratulations to all of our winners!

We are less than a week away from the industry's largest convention! This is always a special time of the year for all of us as we get to see all of our industry friends from across the country. We descend upon the Mecca of the Amusement Industry in Orlando, Florida to see the latest and greatest new rides, plush novelties, games and food. I look forward to seeing you at our breakfast meeting and on the show floor!

I also want to take this time to wish everyone a very healthy, happy and turkey filled Thanksgiving!! Gobble Gobble! 

Legislative Update

As I write this update, we are one day after a very historic election day which resulted in a significant change in the United States Senate. Additionally, we have seen the ascent of our Governor, Chris Christie, to a national place of prominence as the Presidential election rolls toward us in November of 2016. While that election is some twenty four (24) months away, there is already talk about who the leading candidates are in each party. Clearly, on the Democratic side if Hillary Clinton decides to run, she will in all likelihood not face any significant primary challenge in my view. On the Republican side, it is my opinion our Governor is likely to make a decision to run for President in early 2015, which will be in the affirmative. I do think he will remain as Governor during this presidential run despite the fact the Democrats will call for him to resign. While it is too early to see who else will enter the race on the Republican side, I do believe when all is said and done, Chris Christie will be the Republican nominee for President.

We, here in New Jersey were lucky this year in that there were no state wide legislative elections for either the Assembly or the Senate. There was a statewide election for United States Senator which was easily won by Cory Booker over Jeff Bell. For those of you who may not remember, it was the same Jeff Bell who more than forty (40) years ago defeated the last Republican Senator New Jersey had by besting Clifford Case in a primary race. Next year the New Jersey General Assembly will be up for election. That body is presently held by a majority of Democrats 48 to 32. There will be a push next year by both parties to either get or maintain control of the Assembly, however the legislative map favors the Democrats continuing control.

This present legislature was sworn in during the early part of January of this year. At the present time they have held office for about eleven (11) months. So far the eighty (80) Assembly members have introduced over four thousand (4000) bills. The forty (40) Senators have introduced about two thousand eight hundred (2800). Each bill is looked at to determine if it will have any impact on members of our association. If it appears if may affect our members, it is then tracked to see if it is going to be considered in any committee of either house. If being considered by committee we often times will seek amendments so it does not impact us or sometimes support or outright oppose the legislation.

One example is a bill introduced in the Assembly which would require all employers with more than ten employees to provide for one hour of sick leave for thirty hours of work, up to a total of forty hours of sick leave. The bill has been released from committee and is awaiting action in the House. We have requested an exemption for seasonal employers. As introduced, the bill applies to all employers. It makes no sense to us why a summer employee should be entitled to sick leave. Additionally, keeping track of each employee and the amount of hours they have worked and the amount of sick leave they have earned would be onerous. Moreover, even foreign employees would be covered thereby making sick leave an additional week of no work while being paid.

We have formed a coalition led by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association to oppose this bill. At the present time there does not seem to be the same interest in this legislation in the Senate as there is in the Assembly. Hopefully we can convince that House this legislation should not be passed.

I look forward to seeing everyone on the floor at IAAPA and if not on the floor then at the NJAA Breakfast on Thursday morning November 20, 2014.

Edward R, McGlynn, Esq.