“The Legislative process worked today,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “The Democrats tried giving us their worst, but we pulled them toward the middle and got a deal we could all agree on. If we hadn’t acted, communities across Michigan would’ve been decimated by unrealistic mandates imposed by the Supreme Court. We got far from everything we wanted, but it doesn’t mean this plan isn’t a win. Our agreement today isn’t the end of this conversation, we will continue to work on behalf of tipped workers and small businesses.”

“I’m glad that the Senate agreed with us and came across the aisle to protect tipped workers across Michigan,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “This plan ensures workers get a raise while allowing them to keep their hard-earned tips. I am disappointed that we’re this close to the February 21 deadline and are just now getting solutions across the finish line. Tipped workers and small business owners shouldn’t have had to wait this long. Don’t get me wrong, today was a win. But it will all be for nothing if the Senate Democrats don’t come to their senses and accept our common-sense proposal on sick time rules.”

“Any community that refuses to cooperate with federal immigration officials should expect the same cold shoulder from state government come budget time,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “The feds are trying to keep our communities safe, and these rogue cities are doing whatever they can to protect these violent criminals and let them right back out onto our streets. Speaker Hall took a stand today and made it clear that any community that prioritizes illegal immigrants over its own citizens will have their access to state funding cut off at the source.”

“I haven’t had the opportunity to work on the state budget as a lawmaker, so I’m really honored to be given this responsibility to dig into how we spend tax dollars and find ways to make things better,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “There is so much financial mismanagement within the Department of Health and Human Services, which is especially disappointing considering how critical those services are to vulnerable people. I’m proud to be the one tasked with restoring fiscal responsibility to such an important department.”

“If we don’t act, these changes will have a catastrophic impact. Increased payroll costs will be passed on to customers. As prices rise, fewer people will choose to eat out; pushing many restaurants to cut hours, reduce staffing, or even shut down entirely,” Roth said in a Thursday speech before the House. “Think about that: if we don’t act, family restaurants and businesses that have been around for generations will cease to exist. Our main streets will transform into shells of what they once were. We have received almost 40,000 letters in support of maintaining the tip wage. It’s clear this is their livelihood and should be their choice. I ask for your support to do the right thing and help our servers maintain their jobs.”

House Republicans in the Northern Michigan Caucus on Tuesday released the following statement outlining their support for recently introduced legislation which will help bring solutions to a Michigan Supreme Court decision from last summer. The ruling puts unrealistic mandates on small businesses regarding wages and sick leave while phasing out the tip credit, which provides […]

“House Republicans said we were going to fight for the working class and save our small businesses and tipped wage workers; now we’re delivering on that promise,” Roth said. “The livable wage in Grand Traverse County is around $30 an hour. The average tipped worker in Northern Michigan earns about $29 an hour with tips. If we force these staff to work at $15 an hour, life in our communities will become impossible to afford. They’ll have to sell their homes, take their kids out of school, and uproot their entire lives. But we still have time to fix this. The governor and Senate Majority Leader need to get on board so we can save these folks livelihoods before it’s too late.”

“If private companies want to invest their money in green energy, so be it. But the state should not be treating our wildlife like poker chips they can trade in exchange for solar panels,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “The DNR has gone too far with this one. I don’t care how they try to explain it — solar panels are not a natural resource. The DNR must immediately stop wasting money on these projects and get back to doing the job they signed up for: protecting our natural resources.”

“Legislative Democrats are reaching a point where their level of greed and complete disregard for the Christmas season would put the Grinch to shame,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “Our tipped workers have stood outside our chambers and pleaded with us for help. Yet, Democrats in charge are more focused on giving drivers licenses to illegal immigrants and letting dangerous convicts out of jail. The grinch may have stolen Christmas, but Democrats are going to steal a lot more from tipped wage workers if we don’t act.”

“This isn’t about forcing people to work, this is about encouraging folks to explore opportunities that will equip them with the skills they need to live fruitful lives free of government intervention,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “We want every man, woman, and child to have access to the resources they need to be healthy and happy. But we also want those families to have a clear path to rise above their economic station and leave state assistance behind. I believe people are capable of more than just cashing a government check.”

“Corrections officers make daily sacrifices the rest of us couldn’t even imagine; between going toe to toe with dangerous criminals and spending days on end away from family, these folks have earned benefits they can count on when they decide to retire,” said Roth, R-Interlochen. “These would be high-stress jobs if our prisons were fully staffed, but because of these devastating shortages, MDOC is stretching the few officers we have left to the breaking point. This plan requires immediate attention so we can finally start securing the help our corrections officers desperately need.”

State Rep. John Roth today shared deep disappointment and frustration with Democrats in control of the state House after they failed to bring up an important issue affecting the livelihoods of restaurant workers and small business owners in his community.