Democrats ran in 2022 on cutting spending and taxes but now are opposing DOGE. It's whiplash for voters who want to see Washington right-sized. 

"United Way of Marquette County has partnered with DoorDash to deliver food from local pantries to residents in need. The free delivery system derives from the Project DASH Initiative."

"FOX 17 Spoke with CEO of Harbor Strategic, John Sellek Thursday morning, who highlighted where Whitmer seemed to have a hit and where she may have missed."

John Sellek joined Glenn Stevens of the Detroit Chamber preview Gov. Whitmer's State of the State live from Acuitas in Lansing.

“There’s one thing about Muskegon: they’re proud of their history, and that is across the board no matter what community you live in and, across the board, they want to see their history preserved.”

Community leaders, educators and parents today launched the Preserving Muskegon’s History campaign to educate county residents about the exciting impacts of a proposed construction millage for the Lakeshore Museum Center’s Muskegon Museum of History & Science.

"Voters in Muskegon County will decide in May whether to approve a millage to expand and upgrade the Muskegon Museum of History and Science."

"Others praised the compromise, including John Sellek, a spokesperson for a group called Save MI Tips that fought to preserve the tipped credit: ‘Tonight, Michigan servers and bartenders can sleep a little easier knowing a bipartisan legislative solution to the impending tip credit crisis is a big step closer to reality.’”

“‘Listening to the people who do the job and saving their income and jobs is not a partisan issue. It’s an economic issue,’ said John Sellek from Save MI Tips after the legislative victory.”

Michigan policymakers are running up against a quickly approaching deadline for sick time and tipped wage changes. “No solution, no compromise over the next nine days is not an acceptable outcome for an industry, and we’ll all be feeling the negative outcome,” said Justin Winslow, CEO of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association.

"Trump's team clearly prepared for a blitz that fills every moment with activity. That’s left the Democrats on their heels," said John Sellek, CEO of Harbor Strategic, a PR firm in Lansing. "Trump spooked Democrats so badly they don’t know how to attack him."

John Sellek joined Michigan's Big Show to discuss Sen. Peters' decision not to seek a third term: "The only times people younger than Peters involuntarily left either had a health condition or were committed to prison. It doesn't happen & that should be eye-opening for a lot of reasons."

"Peters walking away has, 'caused a complete roiling of everything, the whole Dem. side, both the gov.'s & senate race,' said John Sellek, a PR executive in Lansing, Mich., who used to work in republican politics. 'It's opened the door to possibly affecting the gov. race instantly.'"

John Sellek, spokesperson for Save MI Tips, said, "One Fair Wage is only making threats of a referendum because the votes were far more bipartisan than they claimed. They know better than anyone that they just got demolished on the ballot in blue state Massachusetts with the exact same proposal. That's the last thing they want to do."

"I think winning an ice trophy that you can barely hold above your head is amazing," said two-time elite women's Iceman winner Deanna Mayles, the November point-to-point mountain bike race she has called: "The best day of the year".

"It’s going to leave families homeless. It’s going to leave kids living in vans. This is not something that the restaurant and the people employed by it are going to survive,” said Amy Covert. Covert was among a number of servers, restaurant owners and business group representatives who spoke Tuesday, Jan. 14, in support of legislation from House Republicans that would preserve the current tipped wage system.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in Monroe or Marquette, Detroit or rural Michigan, it impacts everybody, it hits everybody hard, which is why it’s important that we fix it," said Representative Bill G. Schuette (R-Midland).

"Tipped workers have been speaking up about the changes since they were announced last July. With the beginning of the new legislature, lawmakers are pushing hard to pass a new law to set different rates before the changes kick in. At the bill’s committee hearing, 50 testimony cards were submitted, but only three against the legislation were heard."

"We're here today because there is a looming cliff our state is racing toward. And on February 21, our restaurant workers our family owned small businesses and the future of literally thousands of jobs in our state will pay the price if our legislature does not act," said committee chair Rep. Bill G. Schuette.

Several restaurant workers and owners asked lawmakers to keep the current tipped wage system in place during a special committee hearing in Lansing on Tuesday morning.

Restaurant owner Marianne Hayoz testified in support of the bill, telling lawmakers the only way she could afford to comply with the coming changes is to raise her cafe’s prices and add service fees.” “This is something that I don't want to do, but unfortunately, there's no other option,” she said.

"Several restaurant workers testified that the law, which is set to replace the lower tipped wage with a minimum wage, would be detrimental to their take home pay. 'Good hard working people will lose their jobs,' said Marianne 'Lu' Hayoz, a restaurant worker from Walker in suburban Grand Rapids. 'Doors will close. All for something we never asked for.'"

Tammy Upchurch, a server in Midland, expressed concern over losing tips that significantly supplement her income. “This would destroy anybody making 30, 40, or 50 dollars an hour sometimes,” Upchurch said. “The wage we’re paid is overly compensated by the tips we earn. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

John Sellek is the spokesperson for the sexual assault survivors group: Justice for Survivors. "Because so far in their view the law protects the abuser and keeps the survivor from being able to access the courts, to access justice, to come forward," Sellek said.

Live from Doyle's Pub, Harbor's John Sellek said that the race for governor in Michigan is now officially a two-year campaign.  

"Bishop co-launched the Democracy Defense Project with former Michigan Lt. Gov. John Cherry Jr., a Democrat, and other leaders. They say respect and tolerance need to come to the forefront when it comes to the election process so that public perception changes."

John Sellek joined West Michigan's Fox17 to breakdown Gov. Whitmer's State of the State address.

John Sellek, who worked for two attorneys general, discusses the confirmation of the new FBI director with Kevin Dietz on WJR: "The resume has plenty to qualify him by DC standards. And all Trump picks are loyal. On partisanship, look no further than MI's attorney general nomination system & the open partisanship of folks like AG Nessel. Agree or disagree with the politics, but it's already baked in."

Muskegon voters to decide on millage that would improve Muskegon's Museum of History and Science.

"Voters in Muskegon County will decide on a millage in May that would expand the Muskegon Museum of History and Science."

"Brinks had, 'acknowledged the overwhelming voices of tipped workers wanting an adjustment to the law and took their message to heart,' said John Sellek, spokesman for Save MI Tips. 'All laws need amendments from time to time and that's what good legislators do — listen and adjust. We are very thankful for her willingness to listen and lead on this issue.'

Harbor's John Sellek appeared in the National Journal talking about the dynamics of back-to-back senate races in the Michigan Senate.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer is calling to delay the tipped wage and sick time law until July, citing concerns from both wait staff and small business owners ahead of its scheduled February 21 implementation. “This would create more space for the House and Senate to continue negotiations while we work on the budget,” Whitmer said in a statement.

"Sellek, spokesman for Save MI Tips, said Whitmer: ‘can be effective for tipped workers from any location but we definitely need her leadership in this process. We are counting on her.’”

Harbor CEO John Sellek joined WJR Radio with Guy, Lloyd & Jamie. "It says something that a generally well-regarded, hard working public official is willing to walk away from such a coveted position," said Sellek.

"John Sellek said a U.S. senator has probably the best job in U.S. politics. Unlike a governor, who is limited to two 4-year terms, senators can serve unlimited 6-year terms. Sellek explained, 'you can be on all the Sunday shows you want. You're living your best life, really.'"

"'What the Democrats are now going to have to try to do is separate out all those good candidates and see if they can get them to avoid challenging each other in a primary,' said John Sellek of Harbor Strategic."

Harbor CEO John Sellek joined WJR Radio to discuss the legislative focus on the tip credit and the Senate's upcoming negotiations. "Both the Senate and the House put the tip credit at the top of their lists, so we are optimistic this will get done," said Sellek.

By announcing $1 million in fundraising so soon after announcing his candidacy, Nesbitt is demonstrating that he's a serious candidate, said John Sellek, chief strategist at Harbor Strategic. "To flip the switch on to get this million in the door is impressive," Sellek said.

Rep. John Roth testified on behalf of HB 4001, which preserves the tipped minimum wage. Roth said it was critical to find a way to make tipped wages work for employees. "Changes mandated by the Supreme Court decision will have a catastrophic impact on many small businesses, particularly restaurants, which operate at razor thin profit margins. This would be a real detriment if this is not fixed," Roth said. "We need to be looking out for them."

“I had one business owner say to me they have never seen policies so devastating to business,” says State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz (R-46). “These bills have to pass and we have to help our servers continue to get their tips and we need to help our restaurants and small businesses from closing.”

"Rep. Fairbairn says if the tipped worker wage is increased, it could mean higher costs for businesses and ultimately consumers. 'We’ve seen it happen in these different cities,' Fairbairn said. 'In Chicago and Washington, D.C., they’re both backpedaling now after they removed the tip credit. We’ve seen it fail in these other locations and we’re trying to stop that from happening.'"

"Many fear if the law goes into effect as it is expected to in February, they will have to raise menu prices, and potentially close their doors. '$15 an hour is a joke and it's a slap in the face,' Amy Covert, a server from Jackson, Mich., said. 'We can't support our families on that.'"

Amy Covert, a single mother of four who lives in Jackson, said she has worked in the restaurant industry for 20 years. “I can support my four kids on this job,” she said. “My average is more than half of what they want to pay us at $15 an hour."

The newly formed Michigan House Select Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses was filled with workers from across the state who offered their support to bills to undo a mandate to phase out the tipped wage credit and set requirements for paid sick leave that are set to take effect Feb. 21.

"The panel took testimony from several restaurant servers, business owners and business groups that advocated for the legislation during a nearly three-hour hearing that drew so much interest that people watched from two overflow rooms."

John Sellek, a spokesman with Save MI Tips, says that after months without traction, this week has been a breath of fresh air. "We feel like we broke a logjam, we've got a long way to go and almost no time on our hands. But finally, there's movement both in the House and the Senate. That's exciting," said Sellek. "Now we just need to make sure everything gets wrapped up before mid-February."