It is time for our governor to end her practice of favoring big corporations and ignoring small businesses as we begin our economic recovery in Michigan.

How is it that an auto plant with hundreds of employees is considered safe, but not independently owned gift shops or clothing stores, beauty salons or restaurants? These businesses have fewer employees and easily manageable numbers of customers.

Restaurants operate under health department rules on a daily basis. These businesses also work on very tight profit margins and are most at risk of closing their businesses permanently if the current orders remain in effect.

Governor Whitmer recently accused Michigan legislators of making a “power grab” by wanting to be included in decisions affecting our citizens during these challenging times.

In reality, it is the governor who did the power grabbing from the outset.

Our constitution provides for three branches of government for a highly important reason; to insure there are checks and balances on those in power.

We elect our legislators to serve as our voices in Lansing, but our governor appears to turn a deaf ear to those voices and to the needs of business owners.

The health of our citizens is the priority, but quarantine cannot continue indefinitely; it is a temporary coping strategy not a lifestyle.

We need to take the next steps in the healing of our citizens and our economy.

Diane Dunaskiss

Lake Orion

Candidate for Wayne State University Board of Governors