Racial and gender preferences can prompt cheating.

• Author: Krausz, Steve
• Position: Letter to the editor

I read your article ("We're not ready to close the door on affirmative action," Mike Cote, June) with interest.

I used to have a customer who was contracted to do road work. He listed his wife as the president of the company, although I never saw her in the office. Clearly, she was listed so they could get preferential treatment as a woman-owned company.

I wonder how many "minority-owned" companies also have played the system that way. The cities and counties should be awarding contracts to businesses based on their ability to do the best job for the best price; any...