“Corrections officers aren’t leaving their jobs because they’re mad about taking a few college credits ten years ago. They’re leaving because they don’t get paid enough,” said Prestin, R-Cedar River. “The department is shoveling money into a traveling circus that jumps from job fair to job fair, basically begging people to become corrections officers. What they don’t tell you is 6 out of 10 officers leave just a few months into the job once they realize how little they’re paid to work in a warzone waiting to explode and have no solid family life. MDOC needs to fund the things that matter, like increased pay and benefits. We’ll never fix this crisis if we don’t keep the well-trained, hardworking staff already doing the job.”

“The hospitality industry is as American as baseball and apple pie. These systems have been in place forever, and this decision upends all of it,” said Prestin, who has worked in, owned, or operated restaurants for 27 years. “Every one of my friends in the industry who are still hanging on were just dealt a killing blow by the Michigan Supreme Court. There is no way to modify policies or procedures within your traditional sit-down restaurant model and make these changes work. Everything about this ruling is 100% catered to the fast-food industry. Your waitstaff will be left unemployed, as classic sit-down restaurants won’t have any customers left because the cost of a beer and burger will be so high that everyone will just stay home.”