NJ senator gives over/under for self-serve gas in the Garden State

We have talked about it, I have written about it, and written about it, and written about it. Now it looks like we may soon have the option of pumping our own gas in New Jersey.

Thanks to a proposed bill by Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro, D-Hudson, Assemblywoman Carol Murphy, D-Burlington, and Assemblyman Ned Thomson, R-Monmouth, stations would be able to offer self-serve but by required of those with more than four dispensers to continue to have full-service gas pumps.

New Jersey Senator Declan O'Scanlon called into my new Jersey 101.5 show.

"It's time for New Jerseyans to rally around self serve gas, we are overdue. No negative argument, unless you make the safety argument that the people of New Jersey are more flammable," he joked.

As for the argument of losing entry-level jobs, O'Scanlon comes back with: "They can't find anybody to do the jobs. They close pumps, we had one of the new mega-QuickCheks open up or try to open up and they had to delay their opening because they couldn't find anyone to work including the gas pumpers."

O'Scanlon explained what it means when you see an orange cone in prime time.

"When you're waiting in line and you see cones in front of what would otherwise be available pumps, it isn't because there's no gas there or because the pumps are broken, it's because they can't find people to man those pumps."

Not being able to pump your own gas in New Jersey is a serious problem which O'Scanlon agrees, "It's a serious problem for those of us who actually have things to do in New Jersey which is most of us, so it's time."

But what about the Jersey girls who don't pump gas, to which O'Scanlon replies: "The bill we're going to introduce will absolutely insure there are other places where people can buy gas (pumped for them)."

"Our bill will mandate some full serves, we're going the extra mile here. There is no reason why any state legislator ought to oppose the bill that we will soon be proposing because it takes everybody's concerns into account."

O'Scanlon is really confident: "I am absolutely certain, I'll bet any takers a thousand dollars that two years after we pass this bill, there will be nobody arguing for us to overturn it."

So if you were a betting man, and we do have legal betting in New Jersey, I asked the Senator what the over/under would be until we are able to pump our own gas in New Jersey?

"Three month, six months" says O'Scanlon. "I think we're going to get it done this time."

Last but not least, what about Gov. Murphy?

"The governor hasn't weighed in yet," says O'Scanlon. "I disagree with the governor on a lot of things, we're still friends, you can do both, but I am confident that this administration will be receptive to this. But I think we can get it done. We're going to have a bipartisan bill so that's gonna be fun."

As you can see from my Twitter poll and reaction, New Jersey is very close on self-serve gas:

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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